Heroes Don't Always Wear Spandex
by Wild Force Ranger
Summary: SPDHeroes Xover. AU for Heroes. When Nathan Petrelli, Secretary for Meta Affairs, visits SPD with his brother, chaos follows in their wake. Peter's habit of bending destiny sweeps the Rangers into the Meta world...and may mean the end for one of them...
1. Chapter 1

Takes place between "Sam" and "Messenger" for SPD; completely AU for Heroes. There is background to this fic, most of which should be clear from context. Please feel free to ask any questions.

This was originally posted on Livejournal, writtne on request for a friend there, and will be followed by the sequel when it's done.

* * *

Heroes Don't Always wear Spandex

* * *

Bridge was dreaming.

At least, he hoped he was dreaming. If he wasn't, his life had taken a turn for the really bizarre.

He was standing on a high school football field, wearing a male cheerleader's uniform, while Mora fussed and tugged at it. "Well, it's not you," she said finally, "but I guess it'll do."

"Blue's not my colour," Bridge protested, fiddling with the lacy gloves.

"Things change. Can't hide forever." Mora was looking towards the stands. Grumm and Broodwing were sitting together, Grumm with a huge foam hand and Broodwing wearing a nacho hat, and both waved fondly at her.

Mora clapped her hands, spinning back to look at Bridge. "Now! You wanna save the world, right? First you have to save them."

Bridge followed her gesture to see the rest of his team, also wearing cheerleader outfits, standing calmly in the middle of the field. Syd and Sky both looked the part, blond and blue-eyed, though Sky towered over her. Z, with her dark hair and eyes, looked far more exotic in the uniform, and Jack's dark skin and dredds should have looked out of place, but didn't.

"They don't—seem to be in much trouble," he said cautiously.

Mora turned a handstand and shook her head at him. "You would say that. You don't even know what you are."

"Bridge," he said automatically.

"That's who, not what." Bouncing back to her feet, Mora produced a long-handled, antique mirror from behind her back and offered it to him. "Come on, Bridge. Save them, you can save the world."

"No." Bridge put his hands behind his back, very aware that his gloves had vanished at some point.

"Don't you want to save the world?" Mora's voice was at its' sweetest.

"From you," Bridge agreed, backing away.

"We're here, among you. In the shadows. In the light." Mora had an odd look on her face; Bridge would have said she was worried for him, if she wasn't Mora. "_Everywhere."_

Bridge reached for the mirror.

He woke himself before he touched it, flailing so hard he almost fell out of bed. Sky shifted but didn't wake; Bridge sighed in relief, settling back.

The dream was already fading.

* * *

Across town, Peter Petrelli screamed himself awake.

Nathan was there within a minute, robe hastily thrown on; Peter snatched at him, clinging on for dear life. Matt hovered uncertainly in the doorway, keeping Claire out.

"Peter?" Nathan said softly. "It's ok. Calm down…what's wrong?"

"I didn't…" Peter gasped in a breath, struggling to sit upright without letting go. Nathan waited patiently, smoothing back the rebellious bangs.

"I had a dream," Peter said finally. He was much calmer, breathing easier, and Matt let Claire slip past to sit on the end of the bed.

"A 'dream' dream or a you dream?" Nathan asked. Peter hadn't had a prophetic dream in a long time, but they weren't uncommon enough for him to dismiss it.

"I don't…I'm not sure. I wasn't in it." Peter shuddered, burrowing closer to Nathan. Claire shifted uncomfortably and he loosened one hand from Nathan's shoulder, reaching down to catch her hand and tug her towards him. She followed the pull, settling beside him.

"Tell me," Nathan said quietly.

"I don't…something about a cheerleader, and a mirror…" He shrugged helplessly. "I can't hang onto it."

"Cheerleader," Claire repeated.

Peter nodded. "In a blue uniform."

"Blue?" She frowned thoughtfully. "I don't remember any school with a blue uniform."

"There was a little girl…she scared him."

"Scared who?" Nathan asked.

"The cheerleader. The guy who was actually dreaming." Peter leaned harder against him; the adrenaline was starting to wear off now. Nathan nudged him upright long enough to lean against the headboard, supporting both of them.

"A real cheerleader?"

"No. He didn't…it wasn't his uniform, and there were others…not cheerleaders either, but dressed like them. Save the world…" He trailed off, frowning.

"This was someone else's dream? Can you do that?" Claire asked.

"Not that I know of. But it wasn't my dream." Peter closed his eyes, tugging Claire closer. "It wasn't."

"OK," Nathan said, brushing the bangs back again. "Matt, you can go back to bed. We're ok."

Matt nodded, letting himself out and closing the door behind him.

"I should just move into this room," Nathan said idly. "Save time."

"We could take it in turns," Claire agreed. She didn't mean it, of course; Peter tolerated no one but Nathan on nights like this.

"Sorry," Peter murmured without opening his eyes.

"Go to sleep," Nathan said affectionately. "Someone may as well get some."

Peter was too close to sleep to answer. Nathan and Claire talked quietly until his breathing had deepened into sleep; then she slipped away, leaving Nathan to doze uncomfortably until the next morning when Peter woke up. Per usual, he was apologetic and uncomfortable and Nathan made himself scarce as soon as he was sure Peter was himself again.

Though he asked, Peter didn't remember the dream, didn't even remembering waking. That wasn't totally unusual lately, but it unnerved Nathan anyway; Peter often woke screaming, but those dreams weren't easily forgotten.

Still, Peter seemed to have shaken it off, so Nathan did likewise and prepared for the day ahead.

* * *

Morning briefings never changed. Grumm never attacked at night, and Boom rarely blew anything up before lunch, so there were no reports. Cruger simply handed out assignments, turning a blind eye to the minor infractions along the way.

Like the way Bridge often had a plate of toast with him, crunching away at it during the meeting and smearing butter over all the reports. Sky often came straight from morning training—on one memorable occasion, directly from the Mud Run. Jack, if he'd overslept or had the morning off, often showed up in civvies. Syd sometimes forgot to remove her face mask and Z had a bad habit of staying in bed and sending a replicate instead. Jack was the only one who could catch a replicate right off—though Bridge could do it if he tried—and depending on his mood, he either outed her right off or let the replicate stay and went to boot her out afterwards.

This morning, however, they were all present and correct, wearing the right uniform, not eating or muddy, chatting idly together but not fighting. This kind of day was too few and far between for Cruger's liking, but he took what he could get.

"Rangers," Cruger started, and they settled, ceasing their own conversations and turning to look at him. "Secretary Nathan Petrelli is coming to tour the facility this afternoon. Your patrols have been cancelled and you will be on hand."

"Sir, Nathan Petrelli is the Secretary overseeing Metas," Sky protested. "Why is he coming here?"

"Rangers qualify as Meta and therefore fall under his jurisdiction. He has no say in your deployment but he does have the right to examine your facilities and resources."

"Great," Jack muttered. "So who's coming?"

Kat glanced at her clipboard. "Secretary Petrelli, his aide, a bodyguard and his brother."

"The bodyguard's brother?" Syd asked, confused.

"The secretary's brother," Kat corrected herself.

"Why's he bringing his brother?" Sky asked.

Z had gone pale, griping Jack's arm, but he ignored her to tell Sky, "Nathan Petrelli goes nowhere without his brother."

"That's kind of creepy," Syd muttered.

"Enough," Cruger said mildly, and everyone shut up. "Who the Secretary brings or does not bring is not your concern. Your only concern is to have yourselves here, in dress uniform, at fifteen hundred. Dismissed."

The Rangers filed out and wandered back to the Rec Room, at a loose end now until the afternoon. Bridge flopped down beside Syd, nudging her with his elbow. "So tell us about the Petrellis."

"Why would I know anything about them?" Syd asked blankly.

"They're old money, right?" Sky sat on her other side. "Your parents must know them."

"My parents only wish they knew them. We're not big enough snobs for them."

Jack glared at Z as she started to answer, cutting her off before she could speak. She raised an eyebrow: Jack grimaced, shaking his head at her, and she laughed out loud. Smiling innocently, she told the others, "Nathan used to be a real hard ass. Since the thing with Peter, he's a lot different."

"What thing with Peter? That's the brother?" Bridge asked.

"You don't know about it?" Z said in surprise.

"It got kept out of the news," Jack reminded her. To the others, he continued, "Peter Petrelli was kidnapped a couple of years ago. Nathan figured it was to put pressure on him, at first, but no demands were ever made. So he walked out of the Cabinet one day, put together his own team. Some ex-criminal from Nevada, two Japanese guys, an ex-FBI agent, anyone he could find."

"And they found Peter?" Syd asked.

"Took nearly a week, but they found him. Drugs in his system no one had ever seen, no idea where he was or what was happening, but he was more or less in one piece."

"He had a mental breakdown, a while later," Z said softly. "Nathan tried to put him in a hospital, but he couldn't handle it, couldn't cope with being with strangers who kept trying to sedate him. So Nathan took him home."

"None of it hit the news," Jack continued, looking almost warningly at Z. "But it was all over the streets, because one of the guys on Nathan's team was smart enough to ask us what we knew. That's how they found Peter."

"They asked Piggy?" Sky said dryly.

"Funny. Peter's supposed to be pretty much back to normal, now, but Nathan never lets him get very far away."

"Can't be much fun," Syd commented. "Why'd they go after Peter?"

"Rumour was he's Meta. Super powerful, or something. No one knows; if he is Meta, it's not one of the visible powers, and he's hardly ever out in public any more."

"If he is, does that make Nathan one too?" Bridge wondered.

Jack shrugged, about to answer, when Z interrupted. "Jack, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Jack grinned at the others and followed her to the corridor just outside.

Z spun to face him as soon as they were out of the others' earshot. "Jack, Peter Petrelli…"

"…Won't remember anything," Jack interrupted. "And Nathan never saw anything."

"We pushed him into a nervous breakdown," Z hissed.

"No, we didn't," Jack said firmly. "The guy was on the edge, you know he was." Z shook her head, turning away. "Where are you going?" Jack yelled after her.

"To enjoy my morning off. I'll be back."

Jack shook his head, watching her all but run down the corridor. "Can't run away from this, Z," he murmured, heading back into the Rec Room.

* * *

Three Years Ago

Z really didn't think this was a good idea.

"Jack, I really don't think this is a good idea."

"Why wouldn't it be a good idea?" Jack's head asked. The rest of him was on the other side of the very high, very thick wall surrounding the Petrelli estate.

"Because you're breaking into the Petrellis! This is the guy who fired the FBI from his brother's case! There's more security in there than there is in the National Mint."

"Z, have you been breaking and entering without me? You know I hate it when you do that. Now shut up and get in here."

Z grimaced, closing her eyes and creating a replicate on the other side of the wall. She carefully shifted her perceptions to the new body so that when she opened her eyes, she was looking at Jack's back. "Tell me again what we're after."

Jack jumped, spinning to face her. "I wish you wouldn't do that," he complained. "It's creepy. How many of you are there?"

"The Living Ghost thinks _I'm_ creepy? Tell me what we're looking for."

"A painting by an artist called Isaac Mendez. He painted it on commission and it's valuable now 'cos he doesn't do that any more."

"He doesn't paint?"

"Not on commission. This way."

"Isaac Mendez," Z mused as they skirted the artificial lake. "Yeah, there's some of his stuff in the Deveaux Gallery."

Jack shot her a look over his shoulder. "The Deveaux Gallery?"

"What? It's warm and dry, and Simone doesn't throw you out unless you make noise. Better than some of the places _you _hang out. She's good at giving work to people who need it, too, delivery jobs and things."

"Shsssh." Jack phased noiselessly into the nearest tree, and Z slid behind it as a guard plodded by.

Ten minutes later they'd climbed through a second story window in the main part of the house. Z followed Jack quietly down a hall to the main staircase.

"To the left," Jack breathed, drifting down through the floor. Z darted down the stairs, feeling horribly exposed all the way, and rejoined him in a long corridor lined with pictures. Issac's was halfway down on the left, and Z stood guard while Jack rewired or disabled the alarms and began to remove the painting.

A flash of light at the end of the corridor caught her eye, and she tapped Jack's shoulder in warning and moved soundlessly towards it. She was impressed by Jack's silence; three steps away and she couldn't hear him at all.

The light was coming from under a door, and she considered it for a long moment. As long as she didn't make any noise, whoever was out there should have no reason to come through, and the fewer people who saw them the better.

She was backing noiselessly away when the door opened.

The boy—man, she corrected herself, a few years older than her—jerked to a halt when he saw her, dropping the glass of water he held in one hand. Z reached for it instinctively; the floor here was tile and if it hit the whole house would be awake.

At the same time a replicate appeared briefly next to Jack, long enough to shove him in warning before vanishing again. The boy in front of Z stumbled; he'd been reaching for the glass, but the stumble threw him off and he crashed into her. Trapped between him and the wall, Z squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the glass to shatter and wake the whole house.

The noise didn't come, and she opened her eyes to see him crouched in front of her, glass in one hand. Z slid her eyes to her left, where he was _also _crouched, staring wide-eyed at his double.

"How are you doing that?" he demanded, one hand tightening on her arm. Another figure of him appeared, and then more, all over the room.

"It's not me," she protested, trying to slip free. The two of him had her pinned against the wall, though, and she couldn't move.

"Make it stop," the one in front of her demanded. He'd set the glass down at some point and was gripping her upper arms, hard enough to raise bruises.

"I'm not _doing _it," she said again.

"It _has _to be you!" His gaze slid over her head. "Or not."

One of them let go of Z, scrambling to his feet just as Jack charged…

And passed right through. Jack tumbled to the floor, yelling as he crashed into a table.

On the floor above them, someone reacted, yelling and running.

The one holding Z turned wide eyes on her. "Make it stop. I can't…"

"I'm not doing it," Z whispered.

There had to be more than twenty copies of him. Z had never made it past four; the headaches and sickness just couldn't be ignored.

"They're still you," she told him. Across the room, Jack yelled her name, but she ignored him to coach the boy. "Just send them away."

"I…" He swallowed, letting go of her to curl into a ball, but the replicates were fading.

Lights suddenly came on, flooding the room, and Jack dodged his opponent and darted into the corridor. "Z!"

"Coming…" She pushed to her feet, watching as the last replicate came to crouch beside the original. "All of them," she coaxed him. "You can't keep him, you'll be sick."

"I need…" The boy gasped, hyperventilating.

"Peter?" someone yelled from upstairs. Footsteps sounded, coming closer.

"Z," Jack said, directly in her ear. "_Go._ I'll meet you outside." He was gone when she twisted to look, fading through the walls.

Z scrambled back into the corridor, pausing in a shadow to watch as the last replicate faded away. Peter curled tighter on himself, keening softly, and she was about to go back to him when two men appeared at the other end of the room. One dropped to his knees beside Peter; the other glanced warily around, raising a gun. Z drew back into the shadows and his gaze passed over her, sharpened and came back.

"Come out here! Hands up!" he barked, taking a couple of steps forward and stopping between her and the two men.

Z looked past him at Peter, who was crabwalking backwards away from the older man. Shaking her head, she murmured "I'm sorry," and closed her eyes, sending herself back to her original body, knowing this one would just fade away.

* * *

The mind Peter had latched onto vanished and he screamed with the pain, cramming himself into a corner. Nathan tried to calm him, to touch him, but Peter was flailing wildly and he couldn't get near.

Matt was hunkered nearby, one hand on the floor to steady himself, and he looked almost as bad as Peter. "That was…not fun," he muttered.

"Where is he?" Nathan demanded.

"She's gone. Just…vanished." Matt shook his head, easing down to sit on the floor. "That's what screwed with Peter, she's Meta."

Nathan stared at him for a second. Peter's screams had faded into whimpers but the whole house was heaving now.

"Close the room," he said finally. "Get everyone back to bed."

"Yeah. You want…" He gestured vaguely towards Peter.

"Yeah, bring it down with you," Nathan agreed, settling himself on the floor near Peter.

Matt nodded, shoving to his feet and heading down the corridor. Halfway down he paused to call back, "The Mendez is gone!" Nathan waved a hand in response and Matt kept going.

"Peter," Nathan murmured. One foot kicked, the only sign that Peter had heard him. "What happened?"

Peter's whimpers had eased, and now he laughed softly. "Overload."

"The girl?"

"And the guy. Two…she helped me, Nathan. Falling apart…"

"Can you come out of there?" Nathan asked, ignoring his words. Peter had wedged himself into a corner under a table and was more or less inaccessible.

"No!" Peter shoved his hands away, trying to burrow further into the corner. "I'll fall apart! Too many pieces…"

"Right," Nathan said slowly. "OK. What were you doing up, anyway?"

"I was thirsty," Peter said guiltily.

"That's what you have Matt for," Nathan reminded him.

"Matt was asleep."

"I pay him not to care when you wake him up…want to come out of there yet?"

"No!"

Nathan touched Peter's foot lightly, pretending not to notice when he kicked wildly. "You're freezing."

Peter shook his head stubbornly. "Never never never coming out. Not even if you drug me." He caught Nathan's guilty flinch. "Nathan…"

"Then don't make me," Nathan protested. "Come on, Pete, you know I'm only trying to help you."

"I'll fly away. All the pieces of me," Peter threatened.

"You can't even hold your head up," Nathan pointed out mildly. "I doubt you could fly anywhere."

Peter sat up suddenly, bashing his head off the table without even noticing. "How many of me are here?"

"Are you bleeding?" Nathan demanded.

"How many, Nathan?"

"Just you, Pete. Are you bleeding?"

"What? No." He touched his head absently, glancing at his fingers. "No."

"Good," Nathan murmured, looking up as Matt reappeared.

"Hey, Pete," Matt said brightly, crouching. "Want me to help you up?"

"The pieces will go everywhere!" Peter protested, kicking at him.

"He thinks he'll fall apart," Nathan explained.

"Want me to get Claire?" Matt asked doubtfully.

"Not like that! All me, all over the room, me me me…" Peter shook his head, frustrated.

Nathan gestured to Matt, who passed him a syringe. He held it up for Peter to see. Peter paled, shaking his head, but he'd backed himself right into the corner and had nowhere left to go.

"Come out?" Nathan asked him quietly.

"I can't, Nathan, please, I'll fall apart…" His breathing was starting to speed up again.

Nathan glanced at Matt, who shook his head. "He won't come out. I don't think he even can. He's not really thinking right now."

Nathan nodded, checking the syringe and looking directly at Peter. "You gonna let me do this?"

Peter licked his lips, eyes locked on the needle, and nodded jerkily, once. Nathan coaxed him to extend one arm and slid the needle in with an ease born of much practise.

"Ow," Peter murmured.

"Aw, come on. That didn't hurt." Nathan dropped the syringe into his pocket and gestured to Matt, who carefully lifted the table away. Peter whimpered, trying to scramble backwards again. Nathan slid in beside him, ignoring the half-hearted punch, and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

Peter clutched at him as though drowning. "Don't let me fall apart," he begged.

"I won't. I've got you, Peter. You're safe, I promise." He met Matt's eyes as he spoke, though, and there was something very different there.

Peter's grip relaxed as the sedative kicked in. Nathan shifted, letting Matt pick him up.

"I want Claude here tomorrow," he said, opening the door and stepping aside.

"Think that's wise?" Matt asked doubtfully.

"He helped Peter before."

"Peter wasn't…this bad before."

"Get him here," Nathan said flatly. "Send Claire away somewhere, and reassign whatever Metas are here. No one but you and me gets near him."

Matt lowered Peter onto his bed. "You don't think Claire can help?"

"No." Nathan sat beside his brother, brushing his bangs back. "I don't think she can."

* * *

Now

True to her word Z was back, in dress uniform, at a quarter to three. When Jack tried to catch her eye she looked fixedly in the other direction; eventually he gave up and led his team to Command.

Apart from the on-duty tech, Kat was the only one there, and she smiled quickly at them. "The Secretary's party just arrived. Commander Cruger's gone to meet them."

Jack nodded, falling into parade rest. "Anything we should know?"

"Don't talk unless answering a question, and keep it short. He's going to want to talk to you; don't give him anything he can use against you or this facility."

"Could we?" Syd asked in surprise.

"Nathan Petrelli is a politician, and he's good at it. He could convince _you _you were working for Grumm if he tried…he used to be a lawyer, and he never lost a case."

"Anything else?" Jack asked.

Kat shook her head. "Just—be careful. He could make things very difficult for this facility, if he chose." She glanced over the other Rangers. "Z, are you alright? You're very pale."

"Just didn't sleep much."

"Bad dream?" Bridge asked sympathetically. "I had a dream—I don't really remember if it was good or bad, which is odd, cos I always remember my dreams, but it woke me up and I nearly fell out of bed, but I didn't wake Sky, so…"

"Bridge!" Z interrupted. "I'm fine. Promise."

Boom scuttled in, clutching a clipboard nervously. "They're coming!" he hissed.

The group was right behind him; Cruger led them in, talking politely with the Secretary. Kat winced internally; Cruger's body language all but screamed how unhappy he was, and that was always a bad sign. Cruger believed the best thing to do with anger was spread it around liberally.

"Ah, Kat. Good." Cruger took a couple of steps away from Nathan; he immediately stepped closer again, deliberately staying in Cruger's personal space. "Secretary Petrelli, this is Dr Kat Manx, my head of R and D, and her assistant, Technician Boom. And these are my Rangers; Cadet Landors, team leader, Cadet Tate, his second, and Cadets Delgado, Drew and Carson."

Nathan shook hands with everyone, repeating all their names, and then introduced his party. "My aide, Dr Suresh. Matt Parkman, my bodyguard…could have left him at home today, I guess, I'm probably the safest person on the planet right here…Niki and Micah Sanders. Micah won a contest, he's representing his class here with me today." He glanced over his shoulder before finishing abruptly, "And Peter."

Dr Suresh was a serious looking Indian man, holding a file folder, a PDA and a mobile. Matt looked every bit a bodyguard, dressed in a suit and hovering behind Nathan's elbow. Nathan himself was dressed to impress in a perfectly-fitting suit, a sharp contrast to Peter's more casual slacks and sweater. Micah, a young mixed-race boy, was wearing what was probably his school uniform, and his mother, a pretty blonde, wore a sundress.

Peter was lurking at the back of the group, talking quietly with Micah, but he looked up and raised a hand when Nathan said his name. He glanced over the team, raising an eyebrow at Bridge and taking a step back when he saw Z and Jack; but Nathan either didn't see or ignored him, turning back to Cruger.

"What does that do?" Micah slipped between Niki and Matt and reached for the central console. Boom automatically stepped forward to block him; he must have bumped something, because the panel lit up behind him, controls flashing in sequence.

"Micah!" Niki caught his arm, pulling him back. "Sorry," she said to Z, who happened to be standing closest to her. "He's fascinated by technology."

"Boom, maybe Micah would like to see your lab," Kat suggested.

Boom nodded agreement, glancing at Niki. "Is that…would you like to come?"

"Yeah, we'd like that," Niki agreed. "And we won't touch anything, _right_, Micah?"

"Uh huh." Micah nodded eagerly. "How do the Zords change size?"

Boom grinned, beginning to explain as they headed out. Peter tapped Matt's shoulder and the bodyguard went with them, leaving Nathan, Peter and Dr Suresh.

"This is your B Squad, am I right, Commander?" Nathan asked.

"A Squad are missing in action. This is my highest ranking team," Cruger answered.

"And a fine job they're doing too, just fine," Nathan agreed. "Cadet Landors, how long have you been leading this team?"

"Five months, sir!"

"That's great. Cadet Drew, how long have you been training here?"

"Three years, sir!"

Nathan smiled. "Well, how polite you all are. Cadet Carson, how long before you graduate?"

"Sir?" Dr Suresh interrupted, glancing apologetically at Bridge. Bridge didn't seem to mind, relieved that he couldn't say anything that might get them in trouble.

Nathan looked back at him, glancing at Peter, and turned to Cruger. "Let's move on to the outdoor facilities, shall we?"

"Is there a problem?" Kat asked neutrally.

"No problem." Nathan smiled at her. "I just think we could do with some fresh air."

"Nathan," Peter murmured. Nathan immediately went to his side, watching him concernedly. Peter had paled and was holding Dr Suresh's arm tightly.

"Commander, we may need to take a break," Nathan said without looking at him. "My brother is unwell."

"I'm just…I need some air," Peter said apologetically.

"Cadets Drew and Delgado, escort Mr Petrelli outside please," Cruger ordered.

"_No_," Peter protested, adding quickly, "You need to talk to them. Mohinder will come with me." Mohinder nodded quickly, shifting his folder slightly and readjusting his grip on Peter's arm.

Nathan's eyes widened. "All of them?" he demanded, touching Peter's chin to guide his eyes up. At his nod he spun on Cruger. "All of your Rangers are Meta?"

"All Rangers are Meta. You wrote the laws that say so," Cruger said blandly.

"Mohinder, take Peter outside.—Have you any other Metas hidden away?"

"I have no Metas hidden at all."

Bridge was watching Peter, who had refused to go with Dr Suresh and was watching his brother. He was steadily growing paler, and Dr Suresh was supporting him almost totally now.

Bridge slid off his glove; catching the movement, Syd coughed to cover up the sound of the Velcro. He eased his hand around and waved it in Peter's direction.

_lightsoundpressurenoisepeoplecrushfeelingsLOUD……_

Bridge went down.

* * *

Carson went down hard, bare hand cradled against his chest. Peter stumbled backwards, gasping for breath; one hand landed on the console beside him, and he yelled as skin flared into metal.

"Pete…" Nathan followed as he dropped to the floor, holding his face in both hands. "Pete, stay with me. This isn't you."

Peter was gripping his wrist with his other hand, staring at it in disbelief. Nathan had half a heartbeat to feel relieved when it faded back to skin; then it flared blue and a forcefield knocked him backwards. Mohinder, on Peter's other side, was shoved back as well.

The Rangers were shouting over each other, the girls kneeling over the boy Carson, Tate yelling at Dr Manx and Landors watching Peter with bright, suspicious eyes. Cruger was attempting, without much success, to calm them; Nathan's inner politician noted absently, _Group Commander unable to maintain control of group._

Mohinder gestured wildly, catching his attention, and tossed his phone over. Matt was already talking when Nathan caught it, demanding to know what was happening and if they should come back.

"No. Stay where you are," Nathan said sharply. "Peter's overloading."

"_Overloading on who? There's no Metas registered here! I checked!"_

"So did I," Nathan agreed grimly. "Stay on the line."

He tossed the phone back to Mohinder and rose to his feet. One hand brushed lightly over the forcefield, waiting for it to drop. It held some kind of charge, stinging his fingers as he touched it, but he barely noticed.

"Secretary Petrelli." Dr Manx halted beside him; behind her, two med techs pushed Carson out on a stretcher. Manx reached out to touch the forcefield, flinching at the static charge. "Is your brother…"

"None of you are on the list." Nathan's voice was perfectly even, but it cut through the noise in the room and everyone fell silent. "Care to explain, Commander? _Are _you on the list?"

"We're not Meta," Drew protested.

"Syd, say nothing," Cruger said firmly.

Nathan leaned harder on the forcefield; it flared, and Peter flinched. "Which of you throws forcefields?" he asked calmly, ignoring the charge it was sending through his hand.

Tate shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Cruger before blurting, "He shouldn't be able to hold it that long. That's not—it doesn't work that way. He's hurting himself."

"Sky," Cruger said warningly.

"He's hurting himself, sir," Sky repeated stubbornly.

Cruger held his gaze for a long moment. Finally he growled, looking away. "Jack, can you get through?"

Landors eyed the field uncertainly. "Usually, sir, but with Peter projecting it…" He reached towards the field; it flared around his fingers, but they pushed through.

That's when Peter fell through the floor…


	2. Chapter 2

Author's notes: Hi guys! Thanks for the great reviews. Enjoy part two.

PurpleLeopard: I hope you enjoy this part.

dragons in our midst: I love your screenname. Also thanks. Was this fast enough?

Terrific Tina: Will do!

Jojo Momo: Thanks! Two of my favourite things.

kitsune: You'll have to keep reading to find out! Was this fast enough to update?

Heroes Don't Always Wear Spandex

Chapter Two

Jack started after Peter on instinct, sliding halfway through the floor before Nathan yelled "Wait!" Jack halted and Nathan added quickly, "You can't go near him. He's manifesting your powers and his control's shot. Cruger, what's under us?"

"Come with me," Cruger told him.

Nathan did so, Mohinder trailing him, and the Rangers were left with Kat.

"Kat," Syd said uncertainly, "we're not Meta, are we?"

"Your powers are the direct result of the explosion in your parents' lab."

"That's not what she asked," Jack muttered. "Hey, Z! You with us?"

Z looked up from the floor. She hadn't moved since the med techs had taken Bridge away. "Peter Petrelli," she murmured.

Jack caught her arms, tugging her to her feet. "It's a power overload, Z. It happens to Bridge all the time. They're gonna be fine."

"Bridge doesn't use other people's powers when he overloads! He's been all of us now, Jack."

"He didn't use your powers," Sky pointed out.

"He's used mine before," she muttered, shaking off Jack's hand. "I'm going to the infirmary."

"Jack," Sky said thoughtfully, watching Z leave, "When did you meet Peter Petrelli?"

"A few years ago," Jack said vaguely.

"Around the time he had his breakdown?" Syd said sharply.

"I guess. Who remembers dates?" he said airily. "Hey, Z, wait up!"

"Jack!" Sky yelled after him, but the Red Ranger was long gone.

* * *

The first thing Peter was aware of was _safe._ For a long time he didn't care about anything else, until eventually various aches and pains starting clamouring for attention.

He was sprawled across Nathan's lap, lying on his stomach with one arm pinned uncomfortably under him. His other hand was tangled in Nathan's clothes, and one of Nathan's hands was heavy on the back of his neck.

"He can do it," Nathan was saying irritably, "but he needs to know he has to do it. Especially when there's that many."

Peter shifted, and the hand on his neck tightened warningly. Taking the hint, he lay still.

"My Rangers are not registered because they are not Meta."

Nathan's hand tightened again; Peter could feel how tense he was, how angry. "Peter only responds like that to Metas. You can't stand there and tell me…"

"The Ranger's powers are the direct result of a lab accident their parents suffered, Secretary. None of them should have powers."

"Nine out of ten Metas would tell you their abilities were a cosmic accident," Nathan said reflectively. Peter smiled into his legs but didn't move, mindful of the hand on his back. "It doesn't matter how they got their powers. It's a federal offence not to register, and you are guardian or employer to all of them."

"Is your brother quite awake yet?" Cruger asked semi-politely.

Nathan shifted, his restraining hand slipping away, and he nudged Peter lightly, guiding him to turn over. "Careful," he warned quietly. "You bruised your back pretty bad."

Peter nodded, lifting a hand to block his eyes against the light in the room. Nathan helped him sit upright, brushing the stubborn bangs away. "You ok?"

"Yeah," he breathed, dropping his hand. "What happened?"

"Cruger had five unregistered Metas running around," Nathan said blandly.

"They are not Meta!" Cruger growled.

"The lab accident," Peter agreed. "You need to talk to Mohinder; but from what I understand, if a chemical accident could activate the gene twist, it would have happened anyway. Maybe not to them, but their kids, or grandkids…the accident may have hastened things but it didn't create the original genetic twist."

"Can you stand, Pete?" Nathan asked. "Cruger has a doctor waiting, if you need to get…"

"No doctor," he said quickly. "I'm fine, I just…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "How's the tour going?"

Nathan laughed. "Well, we've explored three storage closets and someone's living quarters looking for you."

"For me," Peter echoed, and then grimaced, rubbing his face. "I fell through the floor, didn't I?"

"Yeah. Landors' powers." Nathan jogged him. "Are you going to sit there all day?"

"No." Peter scrambled stiffly to his feet. "I'm fine."

Cruger had been standing patiently at the door of the room they were in—a disused lab, from the look of it—and now he stepped forward. "Mr Petrelli."

"Don't bother." Peter waved him off. "No one meant anything to happen. I'm leaving now, though. Nathan, where's Matt?"

"He and the Sanders are still with Boom. Or they were, at least. Mohinder still has the phone."

"Where's Mohinder?" Peter added.

"Outside." Nathan gestured to the door. "You're…you reacted badly when I came in."

"Against you?" Peter said in surprise. "That's not right. That never happens."

Nathan shrugged, gesturing him out. Mohinder was leaning against the wall further down the corridor and straightened when they appeared. "Peter," he said, relieved.

"Hey." Peter grinned, mildly embarrassed. Although Mohinder had often seen him overload, since he was usually the closest non-Meta, it always embarrassed him to think about it.

"Are you alright?" Mohinder asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, and a bit stiff."

"Mohinder, we're cutting the tour short," Nathan told him. "Set up another date with the Commander, find Matt and the Sanders, and let's go."

"Nathan, I'm fine," Peter protested. "Finish the tour. It took you long enough to schedule this one."

Nathan touched his cheek, studying him. "Sure?"

"Yeah."

"OK. Matt?"

Peter made a face. "No. Not yet."

"You really should…"

"Not yet, Nathan." Peter's voice was perfectly even, but there was an odd tension in his bearing.

"Commander Cruger?" A cadet appeared at the other end of the corridor, and Cruger waved her forward. "Sir, Dr Manx sent me to tell you Cadet Carson has woken up."

"Thank you," Cruger said, and she saluted and ran away again.

Peter glanced at Mohinder. "Mohinder, the Rangers' parents had a lab accident a few years ago that induced abilities in the kids. They would have been Meta anyway, right? I was…I couldn't explain it properly to the Commander."

Mohinder nodded, beginning to explain it to Commander Cruger. Peter listened politely for a minute before dropping back to walk beside Nathan.

"That was cruel," Nathan murmured quietly. "Mohinder won't stop talking unless someone makes him."

"So make him," Peter said unconcernedly.

"You're really ok to keep touring?"

"Touring, no. I'll just…go sit outside, or something." He smiled at the look on Nathan's face. "Really."

"Take Mohinder with you, then."

"You need Mohinder. I'll just sit, it's all good." He glanced around. "There's only five, right?"

"Cruger's not saying anything," Nathan said irritably. "But there's only five on his team. So I think so."

"Good. Then everything's fine." He smiled, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "Promise."

* * *

Bridge had to sneak out the back way to avoid Syd, who had gone into Mother Hen mode as soon as he woke up. Cruger had stopped by with the Secretary, who asked perfunctorily after his health and then inspected the infirmary. Peter, apparently, was resting somewhere else.

Bridge could feel him, though, almost as though a cord ran between them, and he followed it through the building and out to the park just out of bounds. It was still only late afternoon, and the air was very warm and still; he loosened his jacket as he went.

Peter was sitting on a bench far away from anyone, hunched forward and staring at the ground between his knees, but he looked up when Bridge paused uncertainly. "You can come closer," he said with a genuine smile. "As long as I know you're Meta, it's fine. I just wasn't ready for all you guys at once."

Bridge nodded, dropping beside him. "That's what was bothering me," he said to himself thoughtfully.

"What?"

"Your brother. When he smiles. He's not really smiling."

"Not for you, no," Peter agreed. "Tell me, Bridge, what's your power?"

"My…I'm an ESPer. An empath." Peter stiffened, but Bridge continued, "I can track where people have been, get impressions from things…if I try really hard sometimes I can read thoughts."

"ESP," Peter repeated. "And Jack goes intangible, and Z…copies herself?"

Bridge nodded. "Sky has forcefields, and Syd can turn her hands into anything she touches."

"Forcefield," Peter murmured, staring at his hands.

"Are you ok?" Bridge asked, frowning. It was hard to tell, but he thought Peter was paler than he had been a minute ago.

"Yeah, I'm…I need to get some rest. Don't use your powers on me," he added warningly. "We'll get stuck in the loop again, and Nathan's not here."

"Nathan," Bridge repeated.

"He…it's complicated. So you guys are Meta?"

"No. Our parents…"

"Cruger told us," Peter said, cutting him off. "I dreamed about you, you know."

"About me?"

"Cheerleader. Save the world." Bridge frowned, shaking his head, and Peter gestured as though to brush it away. "Doesn't matter—Bridge, is it just you five?"

"And Sam. But he's not here right now; his squad's gone on a training exercise. They're not due back for a couple of days."

"Just you?" Peter insisted.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Something's wrong. Let's…go back to the base."

"Yeah." Bridge was watching him cautiously. "What's wrong?"

"Someone else is here. Somewhere."

"A Meta?" Bridge glanced around; there were some kids playing nearby, but they were well out of earshot and he couldn't see anyone else.

"Not them. Someone who…" Peter jerked, falling forwards nervelessly. Bridge caught him, falling awkwardly under him, and flinched when his fingers touched a tiny dart buried in Peter's neck.

"Oh, that's not good," he breathed, glancing up as a shadow fell over them.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's notes:

Kitsune, thanks for the review! Nice long one, just what I like. Most of those questions should be answered in this chappie. And yes, I do love my cliffhangers...but then so does the show, so I think I'm in good company.

Terrific Tina: Sorry for the confusion, Tina. They're actually talking about Peter using everyone's powers, not Bridge. Sorry 'bout that.

Thanks PurpleLeopard and GinaStar!

Heroes don't Always Wear Spandex

Jack glanced at Sky, raising an eyebrow. The two were trailing Cruger and Secretary Petrelli around the training fields. Petrelli was expressing great admiration for everything Cruger showed him; in mild rebellion, Cruger was showing him _everything,_ right down to the storage lockers and the equipment sheds.

"Bored yet?" he muttered.

Sky didn't bother answering, but Jack hadn't expected him to. Just for fun, he missed a step so they weren't coordinated any more; Sky glared at him, correcting his pace to match.

Jack did it again.

"Stop that," Sky hissed.

"I'm sorry?" Petrelli turned back to look at him.

"Nothing, sir!"

Petrelli studied him for a moment before turning back to Cruger, who was pointing out the training dummies the younger cadets used. The question of the Ranger's Meta status seemed to have been dropped, for now, but neither one wanted to garner any more attention than was necessary.

Boom suddenly appeared across the fields, the rest of Petrelli's party with him. The bodyguard, Matt Something, looked upset. Niki and her son just looked confused. Dr Suresh moved up beside Petrelli as they waited for them to catch up; he was playing nervously with his phone, flipping it open and closed.

"Where's Peter?" Matt demanded as soon as they were in earshot.

Nathan frowned. "He's resting. Why?"

Matt help up his phone. "He's not answering."

"He's not…" Nathan gestured to Mohinder, who had already dialled and was listening. Glancing up, he shook his head.

"Is…" Boom shut up as soon as Matt turned to glare at him.

"Peter knows to answer, especially when Matt calls him." Nathan ran a hand through his hair, eyes wide and wild.

"Boom," Cruger said quickly, "check the rest of the grounds. Jack, Sky, inside."

"Matt," Nathan added, and the big man followed the two across the field and inside.

Sky found the nearest intercom and asked Peter to please report to the nearest cadet or staff member, and all floor leaders to report in. Jack watched Matt; he was standing patiently, waiting.

"You're not Nathan's bodyguard, are you," he said mildly. Sky glanced up, watching them, but he didn't move away from the intercom; reports were trickling in from floor leaders, but nothing from Peter yet.

"No." Matt didn't look surprised, or particularly worried, that Jack had figured it out.

Jack nodded, looking up as Sky came to join them.

"He's not in the building," the Blue Ranger reported tersely. "Or if he is, he hasn't reported. Floor leaders are checking now and everyone's locked down; if he's here, he can't go anywhere."

"What about the others?" Jack asked.

"Syd and Z are on their way here. Bridge is still in the infirmary."

"No he's not." Kat came around the corner in time to catch that. "He checked himself out a while ago."

Jack pulled out his morpher. "Bridge, come in."

Nothing happened. "Bridge?"

Kat frowned, staring at the silent morpher. "I'll see if I can track him."

Syd and Z arrived as she left, almost colliding at the corner.

"He snuck out!" Syd complained. "He crept out the back when we weren't looking."

"Bridge?" Jack clarified.

"Of course Bridge. Who else would be hiding from me?"

"We're looking for Peter," Sky reminded her.

"Peter? He went to the park. I saw him head out that way."

"When?" Matt demanded.

"Maybe half an hour?"

"Show me.—Mohinder?"

He talked to his phone as they headed for the park; halfway there, Kat called Jack to tell him Bridge's morpher was stationary in a corner of the park and had been for at least twenty minutes, maybe longer.

"They're probably not together," Matt protested when Jack started in that direction. "Peter overloaded on you guys, he never lets anyone but Nathan near him when that happens."

"Nathan's not Meta?" Jack asked, almost managing to make it seem casual. Nathan Petrelli's status was hotly debated, although the official word was no, he was not Meta.

"Nathan's Peter's brother, that's all that matters. But he doesn't even let me stay with him. He won't be with your friend."

"Doesn't matter. Bridge is our best chance at tracking him anyway," Jack said, lifting his morpher. "Kat, where?"

"_You should be right on top of him."_

"Yeah," Z said grimly. "We are."

Jack grimaced as she held up Bridge's morpher and gloves. "That's not good."

"Why would anyone take his gloves?" Syd asked, taking them from Z.

"What's…"

Sky glanced at Matt, who just looked confused. "Bridge is empathic. He channels his powers through his hands and he uses the gloves as part of his shielding."

"Empathic," Matt repeated. "That's…really bad." He was dialling his phone again as he spoke.

"Why?"

"So is Peter.—Nathan? We have another problem, here. The Ranger's empath is missing as well…No, he didn't go anywhere willingly. His morpher's here, and they never let those things go."

Syd brandished the gloves at him, and he nodded. "His gloves are here, too—no, part of his shielding, apparently…No. Peter was seen here, but he's nowhere around now. Not as far as I can reach."

"Z," Jack said quietly, drawing her away from the others, "talk to those kids over there, see if they know anything, alright? Take Syd, too, she doesn't need to hear this."

Z nodded, snagging the other girl's arm and tugging her away from the others, towards the kids. Matt watched them go without letting go of his phone; Jack could faintly hear Nathan yelling, apparently at Mohinder. "We can have a team here in an hour, sir," Matt said, when Nathan stopped for breath.

Jack got his attention, gesturing to himself, and Matt nodded. "Landors has just volunteered their help as well," he told his phone.

Sky hissed in a slow breath. "Cruger's not going to like that."

"Bridge is missing," Jack reminded him. "We leave no man behind."

"Even when the man's a woman," Sky muttered, completing the quote out of habit even though it didn't fit. "Now what?"

"Get some people out here. We need the area kept clear until our people and Matt's had have a chance to check it out."

Matt smiled gratefully at him, telling his phone, "Landors is arranging security for the site, sir. I'll have our people here right away."

Jack glanced at Sky. "Get Boom out here, too. He's got good instincts." Sky nodded, snapping orders into his morpher.

Z and Syd came back. "The kids saw two men talking here," Z reported. "One in SPD uniform, one who looked kind of sick. They talked for a while, the sick one was getting upset. They didn't notice them leaving, but there was another guy here for a few minutes after them."

"What did he look like?" Matt asked. His phone was hanging loose in his hand, Nathan's voice still buzzing angrily.

Z shrugged helplessly. "The kids weren't really looking. Tall, dark hair, black jacket."

"Tall, dark hair, black jacket," Matt repeated. "That's…"

"Not much. Sorry," Z apologized.

"Sky, get back to base and hurry Boom and the others along," Jack said. "You guys, go and give them a hand."

Nathan had finally finished yelling, and Matt hung up the phone, wiping a hand over his face. "So your friend…"

"Bridge," Jack filled in.

"Bridge, right. Was talking with Peter, who looked sick, and then…"

"Yeah. And then," Jack agreed. "And the other guy—the jacket—checking for evidence? See if they left anything behind?"

"Probably," Matt agreed. "Your power anything useful?"

"Not for this. Sorry. You?"

"Not for this."

Boom arrived, leading a group of cadets and lab workers. Whatever other faults he had Boom was efficient when he had to be, setting up the cordon and getting the workers started. Matt watched for a few minutes, nodding in approval, before turning to Jack. "My people will be here within half an hour."

Jack nodded. "Boom! When Matt's people get here, make sure and show them anything you find! We're working together on this."

Boom waved a hand in acknowledgement, more interested in whatever the lab worker was showing him than Jack's words. Jack made a face at his back, catching Matt's amused grin from the corner of his eye.

"Hey, Jack!" Z called. "Cruger wants you. And the Secretary's looking for Matt."

"We're coming," Jack told her. "Syd, come with us. Sky! We'll be back in a few."

Matt frowned. "Syd?"

"She's very close with Bridge. Don't want to leave her alone right now."

"Ah." As Syd joined them, he raised his voice to ask, "What's Nathan want?"

"To know why you haven't found Peter yet, I'd guess. He doesn't strike me as the most patient person," Jack said with a faint grin.

"And your Commander Cruger is?"

"Point."

* * *

Kat was waiting just inside the door and she snagged the Rangers, sending Matt on to where Nathan and Cruger were arguing near the back of the lobby. "We've checked Bridge's gloves," she told them quietly. "There's traces of a sedative on the fingers."

"Damn," Jack muttered. "Alright."

"Kat?" Syd asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Why is the commander so against us being Meta?"

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "What's the deal?"

Kat sighed, glancing briefly over at Cruger. "If Nathan Petrelli manages to get you registered as Meta his department gains a lot more power here in general and over you specifically. Doggie's trying to keep you guys safe. Especially Bridge and Z; they're underage, the DMA could make a lot of trouble for them if they wanted."

Jack nodded slowly. That made a lot of sense, when he thought about it; although Metas weren't usually discriminated against—no one wanted to annoy someone who could kill you without ever being anywhere near you—they were required to report their movements, to have their jobs approved, to inform the Department for Meta Affairs about births and deaths and schools, basically everything. And for underage Metas the rules were even stricter. The Rangers had escaped all of that because everyone knew the laws proclaiming them Metas were a formality. The DMA never had any power within SPD and had never expected to get any.

"If he gets us registered," he said slowly, "he could have us taken out of here. Or Bridge and Z, anyway. He couldn't do it to Rangers, but to regular Metas…"

"That's the problem," Kat agreed. "I have to go talk to Boom. Stay with the Secretary until Doggie tells you otherwise, ok?"

Jack nodded, heading away to take up a guard stance behind Cruger. Syd didn't move, eyes still on Kat.

"Kat? Can he do it?"

Kat shook her head. "He can't prove your powers aren't part of the Ranger package. Just…don't talk about it, not to anyone in his party." She glanced around the lobby. "The child's worried. Go see if he or his mother needs anything, ok?"

"Sure." Syd turned away, heading across to where Micah and Niki were sitting together on a couch.

Kat sighed, looking back at Doggie once more before heading out.

* * *

The first time Bridge woke he sat straight up. The movement sent a burst of pain through his head and he blanked out again, slumping backwards.

The next time his instincts kept him still for a long moment, until his head cleared. The pain was still there, slightly easier now; it only felt like one elephant was jumping on his head instead of two.

He eased up carefully, leaning against the wall beside him, and looked around. He was sitting on a cot in a small, dim room; it wasn't dirty, or neglected, simply dimly lit. There was another cot opposite him, but it was empty…

Possibly because Peter Petrelli was sitting on the end of his cot, almost on his feet, knees drawn up to his chest and face hidden in his arms.

"Peter?" Bridge said warily. Peter nodded without looking up. "What's…" Bridge stopped, staring at his bare hands. "What's going on? Where are we?"

"Somewhere very bad." Peter still didn't lift his head.

"Have…my gloves are missing. Are they…"

"Doesn't matter." Peter unfolded one arm, holding it out towards him to display the bruise on the inside of his elbow, clear evidence of a syringe. "No powers here."

Bridge moved down the cot towards him, pausing when he flinched away. "Have you…you've been here before. Peter, tell me what's happening."

"I'm not…" Peter turned his head to the side, leaning it on his knees to watch Bridge. "I'm sorry you're here. But it's…I don't want to be here alone again. Not again."

"Tell me," Bridge urged him, and Peter nodded slowly.

"There was a man. Sylar."

* * *

"He was Meta," Nathan continued to Cruger, ignoring the alarm in Mohinder's face. "He could gain other Meta's powers, but he had to kill them to do it."

"Sylar was made to absorb powers," Matt added. "But he wasn't very good at it; he left a trail. He took people's brains so he could learn to use their powers—not low profile."

"Made to absorb powers," Jack repeated.

"Sylar didn't realise he had powers until he was…discovered. They used him to gain other powers, but he was unstable and he left a trail. We tracked him down eventually…they started eyeing Bridge after we rescued Peter, I'd guess. He was their first choice."

"Peter duplicates other people's powers without them ever realising it. If they can get control of that…" Nathan shook his head wearily.

"That explains Peter. Why Bridge?" Jack asked.

* * *

"Because you're an empath too. You…they're going to try to make you…" He shuddered, burying his face again. "It's going to be bad. It's always bad."

"What happens?" Bridge demanded. "Peter. What happens?"

Peter shook his head, scrambling off the bed and retreating to the far corner, curling into it. "I can't…"

Bridge followed him, crouching, carefully staying out of his reach. "Peter. Tell me."

Peter shook his head, eyes squeezed closed. "I don't know."

"Pe…"

"I don't know! I never…it's all mixed up, I told you. It doesn't make any sense." Bridge reached to touch him and he jerked away, slamming into the wall. "Don't…"

Bridge eased back, putting a little room between them. "SPD's gonna find us."

"I hope so. Cos I don't know if Nathan can." Peter buried his face in his arms again.

Bridge grimaced, leaning his head back against the wall. "They'll come. They will. They always come."

* * *

"He doesn't remember much. Or if he does, he won't talk about it. But they did something to the part of his brain that controls his powers. Peter's always…his control was never great anyway, but when we got him back, when the drugs wore off…" Nathan shrugged. "He couldn't handle being touched, he couldn't bear having Metas around, he wasn't too hot on normal people. It was…"

"Must have been tough, with your bias and all," Jack commented.

"My…I am not biased against Metas. I run the DMA, for gods' sake!"

"I don't think you're biased against them," Jack agreed. "I think you're biased against regular people. Every member of your party's Meta."

Mohinder raised his hand, and Jack added, "Except Dr Suresh, who's father identified the gene twist creating Metas in the first place."

Syd glanced at where Niki and Micah were still sitting. "Even them?"

"Even them," Jack agreed.

"I am not biased!" Nathan protested.

"How many members of your department are Meta, Secretary?" Cruger asked.

Nathan's face closed over. "This is not the time to discuss this, Commander. Your Ranger and my brother are missing."

"All of them, then," Jack murmured.

"It took Peter three years and two breakdowns to gain any kind of control over his powers again. Did you want your Ranger off the team for that long?"

* * *

"Three years," Peter murmured. "Or a little more."

He was calmer, now, but there was a hitch in his breathing and a tension in his body Bridge didn't like. He'd had a few panic attacks himself, he knew the signs, and Peter Petrelli was hovering on the edge of catatonia.

Bridge stared at his hands; he was absently poking the bruise on his arm. "Whatever this stuff is, it works."

"Screws with you after a while. After a couple of days my sense of time just went. I couldn't track things at all."

"Nathan got you out, right?"

Peter shook his head. "Nathan put the team together. But he wasn't on it. They wouldn't let him come. Too important for the DMA."

"The DMA wasn't even founded three years ago," Bridge pointed out.

"Yeah. Nathan was still a Senator, then, and he was writing the laws that created the DMA. He knew he'd be running it, he knew there wasn't anyone else who could or would." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "He walked out on the final stages. Put it all at risk to try and find me. And he still does. Anytime I need anything, he's there, no matter what."

Bridge studied him for a moment; Peter was sliding dangerously close to despair, so he deliberately redirected the conversation.

"Who was on the team?"

"Um, Matt-he was FBI, then, but planning to leave anyway—something about his partner, I don't know. DL, he's like Jack, he can go through things. Hiro and Ando, they're a team, Japanese. They're…they can stop time and teleport, but I don't know which does what. I wasn't very—coherent."

"Where are we?" Bridge asked, looking around.

Peter shook his head again. "This isn't the same place as before. I don't know where we are."

Bridge glanced around; there were no windows in the room, and the residual drowsyness from the drug meant he couldn't gauge the time. "Any idea what time it is?" he asked anyway, more to keep Peter talking than out of any hope he'd know.

"Late evening. Maybe midnight, probably not." Peter glanced up, catching his eye. "The sedative, to get us here…wears off in a couple hours."

Bridge nodded. "Ok. So, maybe six hours?"

"Maybe." Peter leaned his head back against the wall, tilting it to push his hair out of his eyes. "That's…yeah. About that."

Bridge frowned. "Are you…did they hurt you?" Peter raised an eyebrow, and he added, "You're not leaning back."

"Oh. No, I channelled Jack without realising and fell through the floor. I was solid when I landed."

"Ouch," Bridge murmured. "Jack never talks about that."

"Happens to him, too?"

"Every power comes with a downside."

"Ain't that the truth." Peter considered for a minute. "Nathan's doesn't. But he has to keep me sane, maybe that counts."

"Nathan is Meta?" Bridge repeated in disbelief.

"What?" Peter jerked. "No. What? Did…no."

Bridge studied him for a moment before nodding. "Drugs make you say funny things, huh."

The look Peter gave him was pure gratitude. "Yeah. I know a guy, a Meta, paints the future…he used to have to shoot up to do it. Painted perfectly, couldn't stop talking to the walls."

"Walls are good conversationalists," Bridge protested mildly.

Peter grimaced at him, shifting position. "Tell me something, Bridge. How long were Jack and Z thieves before they came to you? To SPD?"

"Thieves?" Bridge repeated. "Oh…a while. They lived on the streets, so I guess they had to to get, y'know, food and stuff. They used to get stuff for other people, too, so it wasn't like they were just stealing for themselves, more like they were being Robin Hood and Marion. Or…Little John, or whoever. I forget who was who."

Peter laughed. "I hope they got good value for the painting, then."

"They did," Bridge assured him, and then blinked. "Huh. I probably shouldn't have confessed on their behalf, huh?"

"Didn't hear a thing," Peter promised. Abruptly he froze, staring at the door. "Bridge? You know how your people are coming to save us?"

"Yeah?"

"Any chance of them doing it in the next five seconds?"

The door swung open.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: Sorry, guys! I know I'm late. I am bad.

GinaStar: Yes, I do love my cliffies. I have to make sure you'll be back!

kitsune: Yeah, I am nasty to them. Hey, what's TT mean? I can't figure it out!

Terrific Tina: Gonna havta read and find out I'm afraid...

gaap237: I'm glad mine's the first. Hope it lives up to your expectations!

markim: The answers are within.

Kitsu...Hey, I talked to you already!

Heroes Don't Always Wear Spandex

Chapter 4

The group were in Command, now, Kat analysing Boom's results as they came in, Syd and Z trying to entertain Micah. Nathan, Mohinder and Matt were all on their phones; Mohinder was attempting to explain to the DMA what was happening without actually telling them, and arranging to have Niki and Micah picked up. Matt was trying to track down DL and Hiro and Ando, and Nathan…well, no one really knew what he was doing. He was very carefully not letting them overhear, and Matt kept blocking them when they wandered close enough to listen.

"Sir?" Jack said quietly. Cruger tilted his head to listen, but he didn't look away from Nathan. "Z and I could go see if we can find anything out. Piggy might have heard something…it's worth a try, sir."

"I believe that is Matt's plan," Cruger said neutrally.

"So we'll have somewhere for him to start. He's still got to get his people here."

"Hello, Newtech!"

Everyone spun to look at the two Japanese men who had literally appeared in the centre of the room. Jack and Sky both drew their weapons when they saw the sword slung across one man's back, and he paled, backing into his friend. Matt lowered his phone, stepping forward hastily.

"Hiro! Great…Commander Cruger, this is Hiro Nakamura and Ando Masahashi. They're part of our team."

"The getting past security part, apparently," Jack said pointedly.

"Oh! Apologies." Hiro bowed. "Was told, emergency. Stopped time to get here." He looked at Matt. "Wrong?"

"No, it's fine. We just didn't have time to warn them," Matt said. Looking back at Cruger, he continued, "Hiro can stop time. I'm literally just off the phone with them."

Cruger growled mildly, and he added, "But they should have stopped outside and gotten permission to come in."

Ando had been murmuring a running translation for Hiro, who now stepped forward again. "Very sorry. Was hurrying for Peter Petrelli, yes? Very worried."

Nathan finally switched off his phone, coming forward to greet Hiro and Ando. "That's my fault, Commander," he told Cruger. "I didn't make it clear to them. But I'll vouch for them."

"Sir, the car is here for the Sanders," Mohinder said.

"Good," Nathan said, running a hand through his hair before crossing to hunker in front of the Sanders. "I'm sorry you got caught in this. Probably wasn't as much fun as you were hoping, huh?"

Micah grinned. "I got to see the Zords."

"That's good." Nathan smiled genuinely at him. "That's good. Niki…"

"I know. None of it happened." She smiled faintly. "Please let us know?"

"I will," Nathan agreed. "Thank you."

"Sky," Cruger said, "take the Sanders up to their car, and have Nakamura and Masahashi checked in properly."

"Aye sir," Sky agreed, gesturing them out of the room.

Niki hesitated in the doorway, looking back at Nathan. "I could help."

"No, Jessica. Take your son home." He crossed to say something very quietly to her, and she nodded, eyes fierce.

"Yeah. I will."

"Thanks," he murmured, turning away as she left.

"Was that wise?" Matt asked quietly.

"She's the only one who can," Nathan told him. "What about DL?"

"He's waiting for Hiro. He's ready to go."

"OK then." Nathan grimaced as his mobile rang, turning away. "Petrelli."

Jack glanced at Z, who'd been standing much closer to Nathan, and raised an eyebrow. She shook her head, spreading her hands, and he shrugged.

"Ah well…sir? Can Z and I go?"

Cruger nodded. "Stay in contact. _Constant _contact, Jack."

"Aye sir," Jack agreed. "Syd! Z and I are going to find Piggy. Keep your morpher open, we're staying on the line, ok?"

Syd nodded, pulling out her morpher. Jack made the connection and then nodded, heading away.

Halfway up the corridor they met Sky, leading Hiro and Ando back. Halting them, he drew Jack to one side.

"Jack. Did you hear what Nathan told Sanders?"

"No. What?"

Sky cast a cautious look at Hiro and Ando; Z was blocking them, standing too far away to hear. "He told her if she sees Peter, if we haven't called her to tell her he's safe, she's to kill him."

Jack choked for a second. "Kill…she's supposed to do that?" He frowned. "Nathan told Matt she was the only one who could."

"Jack, if Bridge gets out…"

"We're going to see Piggy. We're gonna find him, Sky."

"Yeah," Sky agreed, but he didn't look so sure. "I'm gonna get these guys back to Command."

"Matt said someone was waiting for Hiro. If he's bringing other people in, make sure he checks them in this time, will you? We have to go."

"Yeah," Sky agreed.

"We won't be long.—Z! Let's go."

Hiro bowed as they passed—it seemed to be his default setting—and Sky sighed, starting back towards Command again.

* * *

Peter was still curled into the corner. Bridge had been gone for a long time, long enough that Peter was starting to wonder if he'd actually been there at all; maybe he really was crazy this time.

The drugs were starting to confuse him; he knew, sort of, that he hadn't been in the room all the time, but he couldn't track what had happened. There were bruises in both elbows now, though, so at the very least there'd been more injections.

Footsteps sounded outside and Peter flinched, pulling in tighter on himself. Noise never meant anything good; it was always quiet, unless they were coming.

The door opened, and the light outside burned his eyes; hissing, he threw up one hand to shield himself.

"Peter?" Footsteps came across the room and a hand touched him. Peter flinched despite himself. "It's ok, Peter, it's me."

"Nathan," he breathed, dropping his hand. Nathan nodded, hunkering uncertainly in front of him.

"Yeah, buddy, it's me. Are you…did they do anything to you?"

"No…" Peter leaned forward, burying his face against Nathan's chest. Nathan stiffened, just for a second, before relaxing and wrapping his arms around him. "They didn't…I don't think they had time. They took Bridge…"

He stiffened, suddenly remembering. "Bridge! Is he…"

"We have him," Nathan promised. "It's ok. Peter, listen. We need to know what they did."

"They didn't…do anything." Peter leaned back, slipping out of Nathan's arms. "They just gave me the stuff, they knocked out my powers."

"No." Nathan shook his head. "We know they gave you something, Peter, Bridge told us."

"Bridge hasn't been here forever. What are…" Peter shook his head, scrambling to his feet and stepping over Nathan into the centre of the room. "You're not…"

Nathan rose slowly to his feet but didn't chase him. "Peter, this is the drugs. Remember? This happened before."

"No." Peter was aware that he was swaying on his feet, but the walls seemed to be moving and he was afraid to try and lean on one. His head was throbbing, almost ready to split open, and the lights in the room were dimming and flaring in time with the throb. "No. This…you're not him. You're not. I can…don't come near me!"

Nathan halted, hands up passively. "Ok, Peter. OK. I'm not him, that's fine. Matt's waiting, though. You wanna call him?"

Peter shook his head fiercely; the burst of pain almost put him on his knees, but he recovered before Nathan could touch him. "No! This isn't…"

"Peter. Listen to me. The drugs are just confusing you, ok? We need to know what they did, so we can help you."

Involuntarily, Peter looked down at his arms. "I don't…"

Nathan was directly in front of him when he looked up, eyes on his arms. "They did that?"

"It didn't…it just knocked my powers out."

"And screwed you halfway to hell. Peter, did it work?"

"Did what…"

"What they were trying to do. Did it work?"

Peter backed away from him again, wishing his head would stop throbbing. "You're not…"

Nathan sighed, looking over Peter's shoulder. "It's not working!"

Peter spun; the movement made the whole room spin around him, and when his vision cleared he was on his knees, gasping.

Nathan crouched, studying him. "You couldn't just accept it, could you?" he asked, almost angrily. "You always had to fight everything."

"You're not Nathan," Peter gasped.

"You always were the smart one," Nathan agreed. "Doesn't matter. We'll get there."

Peter dropped his head, blinking hard as the lights flared brighter. When his eyes cleared Nathan was gone; a dark haired man was hunkered there, watching him. Peter recoiled, banging into the wall. The man pushed to his feet, stepping over him to head for the door.

"Wait," Peter pleaded. "I can't…"

"Your friend'll be back soon. He's not been as stubborn as you." The man grinned. "Enjoy yourself."

The door clanged behind him, locking Peter alone in the darkness.

* * *

"No. There was no surgery," Mohinder said. "Peter bore no wounds when we retrieved him, save for where he had received injections or IVs. Whatever they did was chemical in nature—which I suspect may have been deliberate."

"Why?" Kat asked. Boom, beside her, was quiet and pale, but he was listening every bit as intently as she was.

"There is a Meta who heals herself, instantaneously." Mohinder was being deliberately vague, Kat thought absently, but she couldn't blame him for that. "When Peter is near enough to—this Meta—he can heal himself, too."

"But it doesn't work for drugs?" Kat asked.

"It didn't, no." Mohinder smiled faintly. "Peter was training to be a nurse, once. He wanted very much to help others. Now he cannot tolerate needles, or IVs. I wore a lab coat, once, and he refused to speak to me for three days."

"You're a doctor?" Boom asked.

"My training was in genetics. A long time ago, before I met Peter. And Nathan." He glanced away as he spoke; Nathan was dozing uneasily, head pillowed on his arms on the central console. Matt sat next to him, trying to concentrate on a report Boom had given him; he hadn't turned a page in at least ten minutes, though, and his eyes were focused somewhere far away.

"How'd you go from genetics to PA?" Boom asked.

Mohinder smiled again. "Things have a way of rearranging themselves around Peter Petrelli. The DMA needed me."

"But you weren't going to take the job," Kat said slowly. "You were going back to India, I remember reading it."

"Like I said. Things have a way of rearranging themselves around Peter Petrelli. He…sees things differently than most people. And when you speak to him his vision becomes yours." He glanced at Nathan again. "I must speak with Nathan. Excuse me."

Nathan jerked awake when Mohinder laid a hand on his shoulder; well used to dealing with him, Mohinder offered coffee and waited for him to drink it before beginning to speak.

"Jack called in a few minutes ago. They have a possible lead. Hiro and Ando have gone to meet him."

"Ok," Nathan agreed, scrubbing his face. "That's good. What else?"

Mohinder shrugged. "You seemed uneasily. I thought it best to wake you, before anything—untoward happened."

Nathan grimaced, dropping his eyes. "Peter's in trouble."

"Yes. I believe we established that," Mohinder agreed.

"No, I mean…" Nathan rubbed at his forehead. "He's _really _in trouble."

Mohinder nodded, leaning over to poke Matt. When Matt didn't respond he formed the thought as clearly as he could—_Matt, come back, we need you—_and held it in the front of his mind until Matt said, startled, "What? What."

"Find anything?" Nathan asked, lifting the coffee cup again.

"A headache," Matt muttered. Mohinder dug out the painkillers he habitually carried, passing them over with a glass of water. "Nothing useful, though. Sorry."

"Nathan feels Peter's situation is deteriorating," Mohinder said neutrally. Nathan and Peter had demonstrated, time and again, that they didn't need to be contact to know what the other was experiencing. But it seemed likely Nathan was projecting this time. Mohinder would have believed Peter, if the situations were reversed, but Nathan always had a harder time with it.

"Great," Matt sighed, swallowing the last of the water. "Time limit…Jack's lead didn't pan out. They're on the way back."

"Good. That's all we need," Mohinder commented, passing Matt a cup of coffee.

"I heard what you were saying," Matt told him. "You believe that?"

"What were you saying?" Nathan asked, looking from one to another.

"That destiny bends in the presence of your brother." Mohinder's gaze was serious; they'd had this conversation before.

"Right," Nathan said tiredly. He hadn't believed it the last time, either.

"Yes," Mohinder added to Matt. "I believe it."

"Why aren't they back yet?" Nathan said abruptly. The raised voice caught Sky's attention, and he came across to the group.

"Something wrong, Secretary?"

Mohinder quickly shook his head. "We're waiting for the others to return. The Secretary is simply—worried."

"They're on the way back in," Sky offered. "They won't be long."

"We're used to Hiro coming and going straight away," Matt explained. "He can't do it with your friends along."

Sky shrugged apologetically. "They won't be long. Do you need anything?"

Mohinder smiled. "Coffee would be nice, thank you."

Sky nodded, glancing once at Matt and Nathan before turning away, leaning out the door to catch the nearest cadet.

"I like him," Nathan said abruptly.

"The feeling is not mutual, believe me," Matt said.

"No, I don't suppose it is." He glanced at Mohinder. "There are laws, Mohinder. We wrote them."

"Laws should never be absolute, Nathan."

"These laws are there for a reason. Peter could have been in real trouble."

"Maybe Peter needs to start getting in trouble," Matt commented, swallowing another two painkillers. Nathan glared at him, and he shrugged. "You've all but had him locked up for the last three years, Nathan, and yeah, he's better than he was then, but he's not getting any better. He hasn't for a long time."

"I'm not discussing this," Nathan said sharply, turning away.

"That would be the bias, then," Mohinder murmured, smiling innocently when Nathan turned to glare at him.

"I am _not _biased, alright? I hire plenty of normal people."

"You do now, to spare Peter," Mohinder agreed.

"Well at least I'm not hiring petty thieves!"

"DL will be so glad to hear it," Matt muttered.

Mohinder shook his head. "The DMA was founded only by Meta, Nathan. You know it. You founded it."

"This is not the time to discuss this," Nathan warned him.

Mohinder looked away innocently; Matt choked on his drink, glaring at him, but they were spared explaining when Sky came back with three coffees.

"The others just checked in upstairs. They'll be here in a minute," he told them.

"Good. Thank you," Nathan said wearily, reaching for the coffee.

Matt's phone rang, and he pushed away from the table to answer it. Nathan stretched, rising to his feet as Jack and the others came in.

Hiro was already babbling as they came in, Ando half a step behind him. Z trailed them towards the table, dropping into an empty seat and propping her head up on her hand.

"We tried many sources," Ando told Nathan and Mohinder, ignoring Hiro's agitated babble. "Z and Jack tried very hard. But no one knows."

"Someone's got to know something," Nathan protested. "What about...what, Hiro, what?"

"Ah..." Hiro hesitated, turning to Ando and speaking rapidly.

"He thinks Matt should come and talk to one source. He thinks she was untruthful, perhaps afraid of SPD."

"Alright," Nathan agreed. "Where is…Matt! Hiro, can you teleport yourselves there?"

"Teleport?" Z repeated. "I thought Hiro stopped time."

Nathan blinked. "Slip of the tongue. Hiro?"

"We go right now," Hiro agreed. "Not be long."

"Ok," Nathan agreed. "Matt, you up to date?"

"Enough, yeah."

"Good. Go."

Both were gone before Z could react and she grimaced, settling back into her seat as Nathan walked away again, back on his mobile. "You people are very confusing."

"We do it deliberately," Mohinder told her seriously, and she smiled.

"Yeah. Ando, do you want a coffee, or something to eat?"

"No thank you!" Ando bowed; she mimicked the movement somewhat awkwardly, and went to talk to Syd.

"Really nothing?" Mohinder asked.

Ando shrugged. "Snatches. Nothing helpful. Some knew something had happened; Jack and Z are well respected on the streets, it seems. But none had anything helpful."

"Damn," Mohinder muttered.

"Mohinder," Ando murmured. "We are concealing their powers?"

"Not exactly. We just…don't want to share everything."

"We do not trust these people?"

"We trust them. We simply do not wish to share everything with them." He shrugged. "They are not sharing everything with us."

"They are afraid of us. Jack wished to know much about the DMA and how it operates."

"And what did you tell him?"

"That I could not tell him. We do not work for or with the DMA."

"Good."

Matt and Hiro reappeared; Hiro looked tired, sliding into the nearest chair.

"Nathan!" Matt called, glancing around the room. "Where's Cruger?"

"He had to go deal with something in the living quarters," Jack offered. "What is it?"

"We may have found them."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Hi guys!

Kitsune, you will find out. Promise.

gaap237, you'll find out...more next week, really, rather than this week, but you will find out. Promise.

Ginastar, thank you!

Terrific Tina, you'll find out. Some stuff that happens here is set up for the sequel, though, so you'll have to stick with me...

The sequel's more or less done now; it needs a little tweaking and betaing, but I should be able to start posting as soon as I finish this one. Yay!

Heroes Don't Always Wear Spandex

Chapter Five

"It's a genetics lab, masquerading as a paper production plant," Jack said twenty minutes later. "One of the many that were working on the, uh, Meta problem. When the DMA was founded they changed their official stance, but it doesn't look like they changed what they were doing."

Nathan was shaking his head. "That's not…the last time this happened, the people holding Peter were a splinter group. They weren't part of any genetics lab, they had one chemist and the rest were thugs."

"Ok, then maybe this group is working with them, or heard about Peter," Sky suggested.

"Your brother's famous," Z said quietly. "Probably as famous as you are. Every Meta in the country knows who he is."

Nathan grimaced at her. "Alright, what this lab called?"

"Uh…" Jack glanced down at his notepad. "Primatech. Part of a company operating out of Texas."

"Prima…" Nathan looked at Matt. "We should have shut them down the first time."

"We didn't have any proof, remember?"

Mohinder glanced at Cruger. "A Meta came to us, telling us Primatech had some agenda in regards to us. She spoke of Metas being coerced or controlling into serving this group, of Metas being kidnapped and tagged like wild animals. But she could offer no proof, and we could find none."

"We should have taken them down anyway," Nathan snarled.

"Ok. We can worry about Primatech later. Let's get down to this place, see if we can find Peter and Bridge, yes?" Mohinder said.

"Right. Right." Nathan gestured to Matt, who went to find Hiro, Ando and DL.

"Rangers," Cruger said quietly.

"What? No. They're not coming," Nathan said firmly.

"Yes, we are," Jack said, equally firmly. "One of ours is missing, we're coming with you."

"This is not your problem!" Nathan hissed. "This is a Meta concern. Not yours."

"Oh. We're not Meta, now? That's not what you were saying earlier!"

"Jack!" Syd said sharply.

"What, Syd?"

Syd took two steps, putting her in between Nathan and Jack. "He's trying not to know that we're Meta, Jack," she said quietly.

Jack hesitated, looking from Syd to Nathan, who held his gaze calmly, and to Mohinder, who was carefully not meeting his eyes. "Ok," he said finally. "But it's still Ranger business. One of ours was taken. We'll morph, and we'll follow Matt's lead, but we're coming."

"OK," Nathan said reluctantly. "OK, then."

Matt put his head back around the door. "We're ready."

Jack held out a hand. "Let's go."

Nathan gripped it without hesitation. "Let's go."

* * *

The Primatech lab was almost disappointingly clean and well appointed. Jack showed his SPD badge and had all the workers rounded up within three minutes; Matt glanced over the group and shook his head. "No one here knows anything."

"Then we search the place," Nathan said firmly.

And they did. DL found the hidden door, in the end; he'd been wandering through rooms seemingly at random, going through doors or walls without seeming to notice the difference. He fell—literally—onto the staircase, tumbling halfway down before he could catch himself.

The door at the top was locked, which wasn't a problem after he got done, and Nathan and the others followed him down, leaving a squad of SPD cadets behind to guard the workers.

"They really didn't know about this place?" DL asked Matt as they followed the stairs.

"I don't think the people down here are connected to the people up there. No one up there right now knows anything about this place, anyway."

The stairs ended in a corridor; still clean, and well-looked after, but painted in industrial colours that made it look grimy and dull. One light bulb, somewhere down the corridor, was blinking monotonously on and off.

Hiro and Ando ranged out in front of the group with Sky, checking each door they came to—regular, normal doors, too, not cells or anything equally sinister. Each one was labelled; Hiro would pause for an instant outside each before nodding and moving on. Ando checked them the more mundane way, opening each and looking inside. Sky covered them from the front while they did it.

Matt stopped midstep; Syd bumped into him, falling back and almost crashing into Z as the whole group adjusted.

"What?" Nathan demanded, pushing between Syd and DL to grip Matt's arm.

"They're…" He gestured down the corridor.

"Alive?" Nathan demanded, immediately adding, "Of course alive. Sorry."

"Bridge is unconscious, or asleep. Something. Peter…" He hesitated, refusing to continue until Nathan shook his arm.

"Peter what? Peter what, Matt?"

"He's…I've never felt him so scared, Nathan. I don't know if he's even here, not really."

Nathan nodded stiffly, letting him go. "Right. Well…"

Jack caught his arm when he would have started down the corridor. "Let Hiro and Ando clear it first."

"Peter is…"

"Not any worse off than when we didn't know where he was," Jack said firmly. "Let Sky and your guys check it out."

"We want to get there as much as you do," Syd said quietly. "Just let's make sure we're not going to be attacked."

Nathan threw off Jack's hand and stalked to the back of the group, hands clenched into fists. Matt went with him, one hand pressed against his head, and leaned against the wall while Nathan paced back and forth.

It seemed like it took forever before Sky called back that they were clear; they'd flushed two scientists out of one lab, and three goons from what looked like a barracks of some kind. Jack called the squad down from above to take charge of them, waiting until they were out of sight before allowing the group to continue.

Matt halted everyone again just outside the door, concentrating. "Ok…Nathan, you'll have to…" He gestured vaguely.

Nathan nodded, looking at Jack. "You guys need to wait for a minute."

"What? Why would…"

"Because if this is anything like last time, Peter's control's going to be shot," Matt said. "We all piled in on him at once, and he got hit with all our powers. We need to give Nathan a chance to talk him down first." He pinched the bridge of his nose, grimacing at the headache he'd worked himself into.

"Bridge is in there," Z protested.

"I know. At least let me go in first, ok?" Nathan kept his eyes on Jack as he spoke, or at least on Jack's helmet, and finally it nodded.

"Leave the door open," Jack warned, and Nathan nodded, sliding it open and stepping in.

Bridge was curled into a ball on the nearest cot; he didn't look injured, but he didn't move or react to Nathan's presence. Peter was standing in the far corner, as far away from Bridge as possible, and he watched through his hair while Nathan checked for a pulse.

"He's alive," Nathan said, more to the group outside than to Peter. He could hear Matt holding Syd back; the girl couldn't possibly be struggling very hard, given Ranger-enhanced strength.

Peter watched warily as Nathan approached; his hands were pressed against the wall at his sides, and his head stayed stubbornly down, watching only through the loose bangs.

"Pete?" Prudently, Nathan stopped just out of arms' reach.

Peter's gaze was focused on Bridge. "I couldn't…I can't get near him. He's screaming, inside."

"That's ok." Nathan stepped carefully into Peter's space; Peter flinched, but he didn't try to pull away. Nathan reached out, cupping Peter's face lightly, and directed his eyes back to him. "Do you know where you are, Pete?"

"Newtech…"

"Close enough. Know who I am?"

Peter shuddered, closing his eyes. "Nathan."

"Right…"

"Really you? I thought…you were here, before, but it wasn't you."

Abruptly all the strength went out of Peter and the pair crumpled together; Nathan managed to direct their fall enough that they were still in the corner, Peter hidden from view by Nathan's body.

"Jack," he said without raising his voice, "you can take Bridge now. Don't come in any further than you have to."

Peter jerked in his arms. "Bridge…"

"Is fine," Nathan soothed him. "Tell Matt not to get too close," he added, still not raising his voice.

Peter sagged, gripping his jacket. "Nathan, this is you, right? Tell me it's you."

"It's me, Pete."

"Pete…the other one called me Peter."

"We need to get going, Pete. Think you can walk?"

"I'm…yeah, I think…where are we going?"

Nathan glanced over his shoulder. Hiro was standing in the doorway, keeping the others out. "Back to SPD for now," he told Peter.

Peter tensed. "SPD…Nathan, if they…"

"It's ok," Nathan soothed him. "I promise, no one'll get near you."

"I wanna go home." Peter buried his face in Nathan's neck, breathing fast.

"I know. We will," Nathan promised. "But we can't just yet."

Peter shuddered but didn't reply.

"Pete, are you hurt?" Nathan asked after a minute. His fingers were skating over the bruising on his brother's back, not hard enough to hurt.

"No," Peter said, but at the same time he turned his arm so Nathan could see the bruises. It was an awkward move, since he refused to let go of Nathan's jacket to do it.

Nathan brushed a finger over the bruise. "Do you know what they were giving you?"

"No. Just…blocked my powers."

"But you said Bridge was screaming. How could…"

"I wasn't listening. He's broadcasting. Screaming, out of control." Peter's breathing had evened out, although his grip hadn't relaxed yet.

"Did they do anything to you, Pete?"

"Like last time?" He laughed unsteadily. "No. The drugs, and the guy who looked like you. They didn't have time for anything else. Too busy with Bridge."

Nathan glanced at Hiro again, who leaned out into the hall to relay the information. "OK. We have to get going, Pete. Can you walk?"

"You said that already," Peter noted.

"Yes, and you still didn't answer."

Peter nodded seriously. "I don't think I can. The walls are…" he gestured vaguely. "They're moving, I can't stay balanced."

"Ok. Then I need to get Matt or DL to help, ok?"

Peter tensed again but he nodded, waiting while Nathan got Hiro to call one of the others.

Sky came in, halting just inside the door; he'd demorphed and looked far less threatening. "Matt and DL are gone. I'll give you a hand."

"Where'd they go?" Nathan asked.

"Matt had to go; headache. DL went with him, Ando wanted to stay with Hiro."

Peter laughed softly into Nathan's neck. "Headache."

"You knew he would," Nathan reminded him. To Sky, he added, "Be careful, he's pretty bruised up."

"Yeah."

Between them, and with some difficulty, they got Peter on his feet. Everyone but Hiro and Ando was already gone; Hiro led them down the corridor and Ando followed them, guarding them from all sides.

Upstairs, the shift foreman was trying desperately to apologise to Jack, who was all but ignoring him. When Nathan and his group arrived, the foreman shifted his attention to them.

"Please, Secretary! We had no idea, none at all! We knew nothing…"

Peter flinched, from the noise or the emotions behind it, and Nathan glared the man down. "Ando," he said calmly, "get this man away from us before I have him fired for gross negligence."

Ando steered the foreman away, still protesting. Sky grinned faintly. "Nice."

"You might have lost a vote there," Peter murmured.

"Don't need votes from that kind of person. Anyway, I don't need votes." Nathan shifted him lightly. "Ready?"

"No," Peter said honestly.

"Ok," Nathan agreed blandly.

"SPD's ambulance is waiting," Sky offered.

"No ambulances!" Peter and Nathan chorused it in sync. "We'll just get him back to your base," Nathan added. "Is there just…a car?"

"The girls have the jeep," Sky offered hesitantly.

"Good. Hiro! Get the others back to base, ok? We'll meet you there."

Hiro nodded obediently, heading away towards Matt and DL. Sky gestured to the waiting jeep. "Syd's gone with Bridge. But Z'll take you."

"How is Bridge?" Peter asked hesitantly.

"He's still out. But they don't think there's anything much wrong with him."

Sky carefully let go of Peter as they reached the jeep, letting Nathan steady him. "I'll go find Z."

"I like him," Peter said muzzily.

"That's what I said," Nathan agreed.

"We have good taste."

"Yeah." Nathan grinned. "We do. OK?"

Peter flinched as he leaned back against the seat. "Yeah. I'm ok."

"You can't keep doing this to me, you know." Nathan brushed away Peter's bangs, watching him. "We need to find out how they keep finding you."

"They don't. They weren't looking for me, it was all about Bridge."

"Bridge? Bridge isn't even registered! How could they know…"

"Then there's someone in SPD. This was about him, Nathan." Peter shifted across the seat, leaning against him. "That's why nothing happened to me. They weren't ready for me. It was all Bridge, all about him. Not me, this time."

Nathan nodded slowly. Peter seemed relatively coherent, this time; far better than the last time this had happened, anyway. "OK. We'll warn Cruger, then."

"Warn Cruger what?" Z asked, swinging into the front seat. Peter jumped, literally, trying to scramble out, and Nathan yanked him back in.

"Relax, Pete, it's Z. Just take a breath, ok?"

Peter nodded, still breathing too fast but at least not panicking now.

Z hadn't moved; now she slowly shifted to look over her shoulder at them. "Sorry," she murmured.

"Yeah. It's fine." Nathan settled them both back again. "Can we go?"

"Yeah. Warn Cruger what?"

* * *

Jack watched Z's jeep pull away, heading back to base. The ambulance Peter had refused followed them, and the squad guarding the prisoners was behind that.

"Where is everyone?" he asked Sky.

"Hiro was in charge of getting their team back. They're probably waiting for us there. Syd went with Bridge and Z took the Petrellis."

Jack nodded, heading for their patrol bikes. "You talked to the med tech. How's Bridge?"

Sky hesitated, staring at the helmet in his hands. "He's…"

"Sky," Jack prompted him.

"They don't like what those drugs are doing to his system. They have to run more tests, but it doesn't look good."

Jack sighed, pulling on his helmet. "Let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: Hi, guys! Welcome to the penultimate chapter.

Kitsune: Wow, you really do wanna know what's happening, huh? Find out all about the spy in this chapter.

Tina: One more chapter after this, then we should be ready with the sequel; we're just doublechecking to make sure it's ok, you know?

GinaStar: Thank you! Keep enjoying!

gaap237: Find out here! (And also some in the sequel. But some here.)

Heroes Don't Always Wear Spandex

Chapter Six

Back at base the group was once again in Command. Peter was sitting at the table, suffering through Mohinder's medical checks; Kat was watching carefully, but she'd very quickly learned not to touch him. Even Mohinder was only examining the bruises on Peter's arms, making no effort to check anything else.

Cruger was still down in the infirmary, checking on Bridge; the doctors had been able to flush the foreign chemicals out of his system and were now waiting for him to wake up. As a precautionary measure, they were limiting the number of people allowed to see him until they knew if his powers were going to be out of his control when he woke.

Hiro and the rest of Nathan's team had been housed in temporary quarters; only Matt was in Command, leaning against a wall and watching as Mohinder finished up his exam.

"Very good," Mohinder murmured, withdrawing a syringe from Peter's arm and passing it off to Kat. Peter's eyes were squeezed closed and his other hand gripped Nathan's. "There. All done, Peter." Peter immediately pulled free of him, hiding the motion by pulling his sleeve back down into place. "Still no powers?"

"No. But the walls have stopped moving, so something's wearing off." Peter glanced at Nathan. "Where's Cruger?"

"He's down in the infirmary with Bridge," Jack offered from nearby. "They're expecting him to wake up some time soon."

"We need to talk to him," Peter said, aiming the words somewhere between Nathan and Jack.

"Why?" Jack dropped into a seat, watching them curiously.

"We have to talk to him," Nathan said quickly, over-ruling Peter. "We'll catch him before he leaves."

Jack frowned. "Something I should know?"

"Yes. Probably. But we need to see him first." Nathan shrugged apologetically.

Jack nodded. "You want me to call him now?"

Nathan nudged Peter, who shook his head. "It'll keep. Just…not for long."

"If he doesn't come back soon I'll call him up, ok?" Jack offered. "You need anything?"

"Water, thank you."

"Doc?" Jack glanced around the rest of the table. "Anyone?"

"No, thanks." Nathan nudged Peter again. "You should get some rest."

"Cruger," Peter protested.

"I'll talk to him. You go with Matt and get some rest, ok? We'll be going soon."

Matt pushed off the wall, offering Peter a hand up. "Come on."

"I'll show you," Sky offered, rising from his seat.

They met Cruger in the door, though, and Peter insisted on coming back to be part of the conversation, so they piled back in in time to hear Cruger tell everyone Bridge was awake. He was, as Cruger described it, "Slightly more Bridge than usual" but the doctors expected to be able to discharge him the next day.

Nathan waited semi-patiently until the Rangers had finished bombarding Cruger with questions before taking a step forward. "Cruger."

"Secretary," Cruger responded. "Peter, how are you feeling?"

"What? Fine. Listen…"

Nathan laid a hand on his shoulder and Peter immediately fell silent. "Commander, Peter is of the opinion that Primatech were looking for Bridge when they were taken."

"This wasn't about you?" Jack asked.

Peter shook his head, shoving his hair back irritably. "They weren't ready for me, they were only looking for Bridge. That's why nothing happened to me. It's why they left us together. It wasn't about me, this time."

"There are very few people who know of Bridge's abilities in any detail. Outside the Ranger program, probably not more than five," Kat said thoughtfully.

Mohinder shook his head. "No one would need to know exactly what his powers are. Empathy covers many variations, any of which could potentially be useful. Anyone with any knowledge of the Rangers…which I assume would cover most of the staff and students here…could be feeding information to Primatech."

"My staff and students are not in the habit of confiding in others," Cruger said tightly.

"No. No one's saying that," Peter said quickly. "But Primatech has agents in a lot of places. And SPD has recognized Meta who are not subject to the DMA."

Matt had dialled his phone and was talking quietly into it. Passing it to Nathan, he added, "That's our source. Her father was very highly placed in Primatech, before she vanished out of his care. She thinks she may have heard him talk about SPD, but she isn't sure." Z started to protest, but he overrode her to continue, "But she agrees it sounds like the kind of thing they'd do." Glancing at Peter, he added, "She also says you're in big trouble for getting yourself kidnapped again."

Peter grimaced, dropping his face into his hands, and Matt patted his back sympathetically.

Nathan switched off the phone and passed it back to Matt. "If you have a Meta here, Cruger, we can help you find them."

Cruger studied him for a moment. "How?"

"Matt."

Matt nodded. "Can you get everyone together? A parade, or a drill team or something? In the Secretary's honour, say."

"Can you read that many people at once?" Boom asked. Matt turned to look at him, and he shrugged. "You're a telepath. It's pretty obvious."

"You are?" Syd said, and he winced at the burst of thoughts, mostly variations on the theme of _'Oh my god, he can hear what I'm thinking!'_

"No I can't," he announced to the room at large. "Not unless I'm either trying pretty hard, or you're panicking and yelling it. Like you are now. Please stop."

The mental din trailed off, and he sighed, turning back to Boom. "Yeah. We're going to put Peter and Bridge on display, as soon as they're able, and march the whole place past them. Whoever your undercover Meta is, I'll hear their reaction. Guaranteed."

"If he doesn't I will," Peter added. "I'll know, by then."

Cruger studied them for a moment before looking at Nathan. "You agree with this plan?"

Nathan raised one shoulder in a half-shrug. "None of us want Primatech gaining more power." His eyes were on Peter as he spoke, though. "But it'll need to wait until Bridge is either back to normal or can fake it well enough to pass."

Peter rolled his eyes at his brother but didn't protest the statement. "It can wait, anyway. They can't try anything while we're both here…Matt, can we go?"

"Yeah." Matt blinked, pushing to his feet. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm…I just need out of here for a while, is all. _Stay here,_" he added without looking at Nathan. "Do some plotting. I can't help with that, anyway."

"OK," Nathan agreed easily, watching them go. As soon as they were out of sight he gestured at Mohinder, who made a face at him but followed them anyway.

Jack frowned. "That wise?"

"Mohinder can't hurt Peter. He's not Meta."

"You know Peter's safe here," Kat said quietly.

Nathan ignored her, looking back at Cruger. "So when do your doctors think Bridge will be well enough for this?"

* * *

Syd slipped quietly into Bridge's private room in the infirmary. She hadn't been forbidden to see him, but she was well aware that was only because she hadn't actually asked anyone.

Bridge was curled on one side, playing idly with his IV cord; his gloves were missing, and Syd halted just inside the door of the room. "Bridge?"

Bridge tilted his head, looking up at her. "Hey, Syd."

"How're you feeling?" she asked softly.

Bridge laughed softly. "I don't feel anything. What's going on upstairs?"

"They think someone here's feeding information out to Primatech. They're working on a plan to find out who."

Bridge nodded seriously. "Who's Primatech?"

"Primatech…you know what? Don't worry about it."

Bridge laughed again. "Don't worry about anything, either."

"Bridge…" Syd took a step forward, reaching to touch him, and stopped herself.

"S'ok." Bridge reached out, threading his fingers through hers. "Power inhibitor's still working."

"Yeah?"

"C'n touch. Look." He poked her arm with his other hand.

"Ow," Syd said mildly. Bridge ignored her, continuing to poke.

"That's probably a bad idea," Boom murmured from the door. Syd jumped, spinning to face him; Bridge kept methodically poking her back. "When his powers come back, it'll hit him."

"Bridge, quit poking," Syd snapped, and Bridge withdrew with a wounded look. "Oh…"

"Hey, Bridge, look." Boom offered a Rubix cube. "Wanna play with this?"

Bridge tried to snatch it from him; Boom tossed it to him before he could pull out his IV, drawing Syd back to the door.

"What's wrong with him?" Syd hissed.

Boom shrugged helplessly. "He's high. Something they gave him…"

"Bridge is high? He can't even take aspirin!"

"And this is why," Boom agreed, looking back at Bridge. "Bridge and chemicals don't go together."

The Green Ranger was sitting up, hunched over the Rubix as though he expected someone to try and snatch it from him. He was totally focused on the toy, methodically turning it in various directions.

"That should keep him happy for a while," Boom said. "Cruger's looking for you."

"Me?" Syd grimaced. "Ok. Bridge? I have to go, but I'll come back and see you later, ok?"

Bridge waved the cube at her, which she took to mean "goodbye", and she headed away. Boom lingered long enough to watch Bridge put together one side of the cube, and then left.

* * *

"Do you think his arm's tired?"

"Ssssh…"

"Seriously. He hasn't stopped waving yet."

"Ssssh."

"Nathan's not even waving that much."

"Sssh!"

"He's probably used to it."

"But he's not a politician."

"I think he has more power than we realise…"

"Will you two be quiet!" Jack hissed.

Syd blinked innocently at him while Bridge stared determinedly straight ahead. On his other side, Z was shaking with the effort of not laughing. Sky's eyes were closed, though the rest of him was at perfect parade rest.

A day of rest, for both Bridge and Peter, had both back on their feet. If Bridge remembered the almost-conversation with Syd, he hadn't let on; he remembered almost nothing of his capture, anyway, so they hadn't pushed.

And if anyone knew that both had come awake from nightmares, screaming about cheerleaders and mirrors and saving the world, they didn't mention it.

"Come on, guys, everyone's watching us," Jack murmured.

"Oh please. Everyone's watching Nathan and Peter. They could put tackle dummies up here in our uniforms for all the difference it'd make."

How Syd managed to keep a straight face when she said things like that, Jack would never know.

To be fair, they had a point. Cruger had each group of cadets drilling for the Secretary; each group took about five minutes to pass by, and Peter hadn't stopped waving yet.

Matt, standing between Peter and Sky, stiffened and murmured, "Hit. There's a Meta in this group."

"No, that's Sam's squad," Sky told him. To Jack, he added, "When did they get back?"

"Just now, looks like," Jack murmured. Sam's squad was perfect as they ran through a kata in unison, but there was an indefinable weariness about them.

"Tell Peter not to point at anything," Jack told Matt, leaning around Sky. "Sam's powers are channelled through his hands."

Matt was frowning, head tilted away from Peter. "He says there's two Meta in that squad."

Jack frowned, studying them. Sam's squad was the youngest at SPD—average age 15, though Sam had pulled that down when he joined them. They were totally mismatched, especially heightwise; Sam hadn't hit his growth spurt yet, and his squad leader was twice his size.

"Are you getting anything?" Jack asked.

"No. Not clear enough." Matt shook his head, frustrated. "We need to push them further."

"Bridge is gonna love that," Sky muttered, but he caught Syd's eye and nodded.

A moment later Bridge's eyes rolled up and he collapsed.

* * *

Sam's squad faltered and came to a halt and Sam abandoned them, hurtling onto the stage at Z's side. The Rangers had gathered around Bridge, hiding him from view, and one of the Secretary's group, the younger man, pushed between them to offer his help.

At least, that was how it looked. Sam got there in time to hear Syd hiss "Bridge, try and groan or something at least. You're supposed to be injured."

Bridge obliged with a yell of pain that sent the young man scrambling backwards on reflex. "Little less groaning, Bridge," Jack muttered, steadying him.

Z looped an arm around Sam's shoulder, holding him still. "Don't say anything for a minute, Sam," she murmured.

Above them the dark-haired man—part of the Secretary's group, Sam thought dazedly—was nodding; he dropped into a hunker next to Z. "It's the dark haired girl, Z. Not the tall one."

Z half-turned to give Sam a proper hug, glancing over his squad as she did so; they were milling around in front of the stage, unsure of what to do.

"Sam," she murmured into his hair, "who's the dark haired girl on your squad?"

"Mareesa. Alima," Sam said, confused.

"What's her position?"

"She doesn't have one. She hasn't decided her speciality yet. Z…"

"I know you don't know what's happening, but I need you to do something for me, ok? I'll explain later."

"Yeah."

Z relaxed the hug but didn't let go of him. "I need you to look as upset as you possibly can. Dr Suresh is going to take you inside and I need you to answer all of his questions, ok? And don't go back to your squad; find Boom and stay with him until one of us comes to get you."

"Alright," Sam agreed.

"Mohinder!" the dark-haired man called. An Indian man glanced around from where he was talking to the Secretary, excused himself and came over.

"Mohinder Suresh, this is my good friend Sam," Sam said, finally letting go fully. "He's a little upset because he knows…" And she gestured vaguely behind them. "I was hoping you could take him inside and talk to him for a while?"

Mohinder looked down at Sam, who hastily tried to look as upset as he could. It must have worked, because Mohinder smiled at him.

Sam decided on the spot that he liked this man.

"Of course. I believe your med techs are here anyway. Come, Sam."

Sam accepted the hand up Mohinder offered him, trying to remember to look upset.

"Mohinder?" Z added. "Put him into Boom's hands when you're coming back out. I wanna know where he is."

"Of course," Mohinder agreed, leading Sam away.

Z watched them leave; they stood aside for the med techs first. Sam's squad tried to stop them; Mohinder shoo'ed them away, while Sam, improvising for all he was worth, hid his face in Mohinder's side.

The techs, well briefed by Kat, examined Bridge for all of two seconds before announcing loudly that it was just a relapse, a reaction to the meds they had him on, and he'd be fine in a while. Bridge took that as his cue to try and climb off the stretcher; Jack and Sky wrestled him back onto it and helped the med techs back to base. Cruger immediately dismissed the milling cadets, confining them to base, and led the Secretary's group and the remains of the Rangers back to Command.

Bridge wasn't there; they'd agreed that to lend realism, he'd have to actually spend some time down in the infirmary. Boom had left the plans for RIC 3.0 down there for him, and Kat had promised to 'release' him in a couple of hours.

Mohinder hadn't returned yet, either, but Boom was there, watching Mareesa on the security monitors. He tossed Jack a clipboard as they came in.

"Mareesa's file. How sure are we it's her?"

"Very," Jack said, scanning quickly through the file.

"She's the only other Meta here," Peter said wearily, sinking into the nearest seat.

"And she's unregistered," Nathan added, dropping his PDA onto the table. "How does she get through your screening, Cruger?"

"Routine medical checks do not reveal the gene twist," Cruger said neutrally.

"Everyone's supposed to be screened," Matt reminded him.

"Peter, what's her ability?" Jack asked suddenly.

"I'm not sure," Peter said cautiously.

"Something mental? I mean, some kind of telepathy?"

"Maybe," he said doubtfully. "Why?"

Jack scanned down the clipboard again. "Average student. Average student. Works well with others. Always willing. Average student." He lowered the board again. "That's the kind of thing you write when you have no clue who you're talking about."

"Speaking from experience, Jack?" Sky asked.

Jack glanced at the clipboard. "Maressa performs her duties competently and has completed this module satisfactorily, signed Schuyler Tate."

Sky frowned, snatching the board from his hands and studying it. "That's…I remember this module, but I don't remember Mareesa at all."

"Eden?" Peter said to Nathan.

"Not quite. Something similar, though."

"Who's Eden?" Syd asked.

"Eden was a Meta who worked for…well, we know now it was Primatech. They used her to keep Sylar under control; Eden could compel people to do anything she wanted."

"But this isn't her?" Jack asked.

"No. Something similar, though." Peter stacked his fists and rested his chin on top of them.

Mohinder came in with Sam trailing behind him; the boy came to stand behind Z while Mohinder moved around the table to sit next to Peter.

"Your blood tests came back clear," he said absently.

"Good to know, but not really what I'm worried about right now."

Mohinder grinned at him, turning to look at the others. "The girl Mareesa seems to thrive on not being noticed. Sam has tried but he is frequently unable to remember her presence."

"Do you remember her absence?" Peter corrected himself when Sam frowned. "I mean, do you remember that she wasn't there?"

"No." Sam shook his head. "No one really notices her, it's not just me, Z. We're not mean, or ignoring her."

"No, we know. It's ok, Sam." She looked over his head at Boom. "Can you take Sam down to the lab for a bit?"

"I should be training," Sam protested.

"Training has been cancelled," Cruger told him. "Please accompany Boom to his lab."

"Yes, sir," Sam agreed, saluting and following Boom out.

"He's a good child," Mohinder offered.

"You would think that," Matt agreed. "He likes you."

"Sam's got good taste," Jack said. "He liked Z right away. When he wasn't trying to kill her."

Mohinder arched an eyebrow at that, obviously decided not to ask, and forged on. "And he likes Mareesa. He said she was nice to him when he started. He considers her a friend."

"Sam wasn't very subtle when he started—never mind that he's three years under our cut-off age," Sky mused. "Easy for a Primatech spy to ID him."

"What does Sam do?" Peter asked.

Jack hesitated, eyes drifting up to where Nathan was standing behind his brother. "Sam teleports things."

"Things. Not himself?" Nathan asked.

"No, himself as well, but it's harder for him. Things are easier," Z glanced at Peter, who had shifted and was now covering his mouth with both hands. "What?"

"Nothing, just…some of your guys match up pretty well with some of our guys. We've never seen abilities duplicated until now."

"Except by you," Matt murmured, and grinned when Nathan glared at him. "Everyone's thinking it."

"Similarities aside," Cruger said mildly, "we must decide what to do."

"And fast, before Mareesa makes us not care," Jack agreed.

"She can't do that. She just makes us not notice her." Peter was leaning back against Nathan and didn't seem to realise he'd spoken.

Nathan glanced at Mohinder, raising an eyebrow. "Pete? You with us?"

"Yeah." Peter didn't react apart from that, frowning dazedly when Mohinder touched his wrist.

Matt spun and Jack leapt to his feet, suddenly aware that Mareesa was standing demurely just inside the door. "Secretary Petrelli," she said politely, "I've come to turn myself in." Turning to Commander Cruger, she added, "Commander, I am an unregistered Meta. I've been spying on the Rangers for Primatech."

Jack willed himself to keep watching her; something very interesting seemed to be going on in the corner of his eye, and he kept instinctively turning towards it. Z was moving slowly through his field of vision, aiming to get to Mareesa's other side.

"Why would you want to turn yourself in?" Nathan asked. His fingers were gripping Peter's shoulder hard enough to turn white; reminding himself that Peter was there, Jack guessed.

Mareesa looked over at him and smiled. "I can tell you things about Primatech. Things Claire doesn't know." Peter moved, reacting, and her smile widened. "We know she's with you. But she doesn't know anything about Primatech. Nothing like the things I know, anyway."

"Her father?" Peter asked.

"He's alive," Mareesa said carelessly.

Nathan glanced at Matt, who was staying upright by hanging onto the table, and at Peter, sunk in his chair. "Turn that off."

"It's your brother, not me. Tell me, how did you find them?"

"Don't say anything," Matt gritted, falling into a chair. "She's not…argh…" His head slipped through his hands to hit the table. Mohinder, moving as though in slow motion, leaned over to check on him.

Jack turned back to Maressa, who was smiling delightedly. "And here I thought you were all going to be a challenge…I've got to fly now, Jack, but you can tell Bridge he'll be hearing from us again. You too, Peter."

Jack registered the surprise on Nathan's face when Mareesa said Peter—_she actually made him forget his brother—_but before he could do anything about it she was gone.

Peter, suddenly active again, thrust Nathan's PDA towards him. "Register her before you forget," he demanded.

Nathan took the PDA and stared at it helplessly. "Register who?"

"Mareesa!"

Nathan glanced at Cruger. "Can your security handle her, or do you want me to bring in my own?"

Peter stared at him in dawning horror. "Nathan. Mareesa's gone. She was just here."

"What?" Nathan shook his head. "Are you feeling alright?"

Cruger turned to the security monitors, flipping quickly through the screens. "He is correct, Secretary. Mareesa has left the grounds."

"How'd she manage that?" Nathan demanded. "No, never mind, I know how she did it…what'd she say, Pete?"

"That Bridge and I could expect to see her again. That's she'd expected us to be a challenge. That they knew we have Claire…her father's alive. She told Cruger she was unregistered and that she'd been spying on the Rangers. And…oh, Nathan."

"What?" he demanded.

"They know. She said she had to fly." Nathan shook his head, and Peter added, "When Bridge and I were talking I said you had a power. I took it back, right away, but…"

"You're Meta?" Jack said in surprise. Nathan Petrelli was famously not Meta; that was why he'd been appointed to head the DMA in the first place.

Nathan nodded slowly. "I can fly."

"Cool," Syd murmured, and he smiled involuntarily.

"I haven't flown in a long time. Peter does, sometimes." Abruptly he was all business again, studying Cruger. "So now what?"


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: I just realised I'm not supposed to be responding individually to your reviews. Sorry 'bout that. But thanks for the reviews! Sequel is finished and should start posting week after next, when I get back from my holiday.

Heroes Don't Always Wear Spandex

Epilogue

Later that afternoon both groups gathered outside SPD headquarters. Nathan's limo and staff car were waiting patiently while everyone said goodbye to everyone else.

Nathan and Cruger were talking quietly…something about setting up an exchange program between SPD and the DMA…when Jack interrupted as politely as he could.

"Excuse me, Mr Secretary, but we need to know."

"Know what?" Nathan asked, half-turning. Jack's team had lined up behind him; intentionally or otherwise, they'd isolated Nathan from Peter and the others.

Jack glanced at his team before facing Nathan head on. "Are you planning on turning us in?"

Nathan played with the sunglasses in his hand. "Are you telling me there's unregistered Metas here on the base?"

"No," Jack said promptly. "But if you…"

Nathan looked up, locking eyes with him. "Nathan Petrelli cannot be Meta. The DMA would collapse. And however you feel about us, we are necessary."

"Are you?" Kat asked. The groups were slowly realigning, Rangers on one side, Metas on the other. "Humanity have accepted aliens, they could accept you too."

Peter was shaking his head before she'd even finished speaking. "It's different. Aliens are alien, no one expects you to be human. There's an artist, a Meta. He paints the future and his paintings always come true, always. And he's painted a war, Meta against Meta against human. Everything we've done, the DMA, the Meta laws, we're trying to stop this war."

"Can you, though?" Bridge asked. "If he can paint it, it's real, right?"

Peter smiled. "We hope so."

"A war between Metas could destroy this planet," Kat said.

"We _know_," Nathan said irritably. "That's why we're trying to stop it."

"The war's coming," Peter said softly. "You need to choose a side."

Nathan flinched, laying a hand on Peter's shoulder. "Pete? Ready to go?"

"Um-hmm."

"Kay." Nathan smiled at him, but the smile slid off his face when he caught Matt's eye.

Cruger, seeing the look, took a step forward. "We hope you enjoyed your visit, Secretary."

"It was certainly interesting," Nathan agreed, parroting the usual phrases without paying much attention. "I hope you'll have us again."

"Certainly," Cruger agreed.

Matt and Mohinder said brief goodbyes, hustling Peter along between them. He dug in his heels when they reached Bridge, though, studying the Green Ranger for a long moment.

"Stay out of my dreams," he said finally, half-smiling.

Bridge grinned. "They're my dreams."

"You're welcome to them," Peter agreed. "I'll see you again, Bridge."

Bridge nodded quietly and Peter let Matt steer him away.

"Stay out of my dreams?" Syd repeated softly. "Bridge, what are you dreaming?"

"Cheerleader," Bridge said with a shrug, as though that meant anything to them. "Save the world."

"Bridge," Jack protested.

"I don't know, Jack. I don't remember it when I wake up."

"And Peter's in it?" Sky asked.

"He's not in it. He just sees it."

"Peter Petrelli is wandering through your dreams and you don't care?" Z asked.

Bridge shrugged. "Why would I? Peter's one of the good guys."

"Rangers, salute!" Cruger's voice cut through their talk and they quickly straightened out, saluting as Nathan's cars pulled away. Hiro waved at them from the back one, grinning widely, and the girls waved back, grinning as he overbalanced and fell into DL's lap. Ando rolled his eyes, hauling him back upright.

"That was fun!" Bridge said brightly. "Who wants to play Lightball?"

The girls went with him; Jack held Sky back for a minute. "Is he sleeping ok?" he asked, watching the others go.

"About as well as usual. I'll keep an eye on him."

"Thanks—think there's really a war coming?"

Sky shrugged. "If war comes, we'll deal. We always do." He took a couple of steps away. "Come play Lightball."

"Yeah." Jack grinned, following him. "Lightball sounds good. With popcorn?"

"You win? I'll make you all the popcorn you want."

"Deal."

They headed in together.

* * *

A few blocks away Nathan looked past Peter at Matt. "Well?"

Matt grimaced doubtfully. "Their strength's in the team. Individually they don't even have that much control; Peter could outdo any of them."

Peter, busy with his usual post-exertion sloth impression, shifted as he heard his name, and Matt added quickly, "If we're taking them we'd have to take the whole team, and keep them together. At least at first."

"What are you talking about?" Peter asked.

"Recruiting," Nathan said easily, avoiding his brother's eyes.

"From SPD? I wouldn't bother. We'll see them again."

Typically, he immediately lost interest in the conversation, switching to a window seat next to Mohinder and staring out. The visions he'd inherited from Charles Deveaux without even realising it were transitory, usually unhelpful, and often he didn't realise he'd even had one.

Nathan glanced at Matt, one eyebrow raised. "Pete? You feel ok?"

"Yeah." Peter glanced down at the hand he was holding out of their sight. A blue forcefield danced around it. "I'm good, Nathan. I feel…strong."

He closed his hand into a fist and the forcefield vanished.

"Really strong."


End file.
